Oral glucose increases urinary albumin excretion in normal subjects but not in insulin-dependent diabetics.

An oral glucose load increased urinary albumin excretion significantly in six normal subjects (from a mean basal value of 4.6 microgram/min to 16.9 microgram/min at 30-90 min after oral glucose). Urinary excretion of beta-2-microglobulin did not change after oral glucose whereas urinary volume increased. Administration of the water vehicle did not increase albumin excretion. Oral glucose had no effect on urinary albumin excretion in six insulin-dependent diabetics. The effect of oral glucose was not identical to the changes observed after intravenous insulin because oral glucose urinary volume and did not change beta-2-microglobulin excretion whereas insulin decreased both parameters.