[Carbohydrate infusions in internal diseases. A comparative study in metabolically normal subjects, patients with liver diseases and diabetics. V. Infusion of a glucose-sorbitol mixture (ratio 1:1) for 48 hours].

Three groups (6 patients with liver cirrhosis, 6 patients with diabetes mellitus, 6 controls) have been infused for 48 h with a 20% (w/v) glucose/sorbitol-solution (1:1). The only group where the infusion rate of 0,25 g carbohydrates/kg/h could not be reached was the control group with 0,232 g carbohydrates/kg/h. We could not see any significant changes in blood glucose levels during the total infusion period. Sorbitol levels dropped very slowly after the end of the infusion, a time when sorbitol was still excreted in the urine. The concentration of triglycerides was steadily increasing. Besides there were no further changes compared to equicaloric glucose or glucose/fructose infusions.