HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) Correspondence: Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when Correspondence are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Ørngreen, M. C. Articles by Vissing, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Ørngreen, M. C. Articles by Vissing, J. Related Collections Gastrointestinal Nutritional Muscle disease

Patients with severe muscle wasting are prone to develop hypoglycemia during fasting

From the Department of Neurology (M.C. Ørngreen, M. Zacho, A. Hebert, and Dr. Vissing), the Copenhagen Muscle Research Center, and Respiratory Center East (Dr. Laub), National University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. John Vissing, Director, Neuromuscular Clinic, Department of Neurology 2082, National University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark; e-mail: vissing{at}rh.dk

The authors investigated whether hypoglycemia develops during 23 hours of fasting in patients with Duchenne dystrophy (7 patients), spinal muscular atrophy (4 patients), and congenital myopathy (2 patients), all with residual muscle mass <10% of body weight. All patients with spinal muscular atrophy and congenital myopathy and one patient with Duchenne dystrophy, but none of six healthy subjects, developed hypoglycemia. Skeletal muscle is an important source of gluconeogenic substrates during fasting. Hypoglycemia must be considered in patients with low muscle mass, especially during surgery and febrile episodes.

Received March 27, 2003. Accepted in final form June 10, 2003.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. H. Wang, R. S. Finkel, E. S. Bertini, M. Schroth, A. Simonds, B. Wong, A. Aloysius, L. Morrison, M. Main, T. O. Crawford, et al. Consensus Statement for Standard of Care in Spinal Muscular Atrophy J Child Neurol, August 1, 2007; 22(8): 1027 - 1049. [Abstract] [PDF]

				A Battezzati, P M Battezzati, D Costantini, M Seia, L Zazzeron, M C Russo, V Dacco, S Bertoli, A Crosignani, and C Colombo Spontaneous hypoglycemia in patients with cystic fibrosis Eur. J. Endocrinol., March 1, 2007; 156(3): 369 - 376. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]