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Am. J. Trop. Med., s1-14(6), 1934, pp. 575-584
Copyright © 1934 by American Journal of Tropical Medicine

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The Dextrose Tolerance Test in Leprosy1

Daniel G. Lai
Department of Public Health, National Medical College of Shanghai, Shanghai, China

1. The value of the dextrose tolerance test in various pathological conditions is briefly described.
2. Abnormal carbohydrate metabolism in leprosy has been reported in literature.
3. In the United States National Leprosarium, glycosuria is common among the inmates. Of the 327 cases repeatedly examined, 95 or 29 per cent have exhibited in one or more instances traces of sugar in the morning fasting urine.
4. The method of the present investigation is briefly outlined.
5. Excluding a diabetic case, 59 lepers with one normal control were subjected to the dextrose test, and data were carefully analyzed. In regard to race, sex, age, types of leprosy, duration and stages of the disease, they represented a fairly good cross section of the Colony.
6. The average blood pressure in this group was 121.5 mm. systolic, and 82 mm. diastolic.
7. The mean basal metabolic rate was +2.7.
8. In the 59 cases, leprosy was complicated in 4 by nephritis, and in 2 by hyperthyroidism.
9. The fasting blood sugar values of the 59 cases varied from 62 to 124 mgm. per 100 cc. of blood, averaging 88.5 mgm.
10. By single examinations (Benedict), 10 or 17 per cent of the 59 patients presented a mild glycosuria in their morning fasting specimens.
11. Following the ingestion of 100 grams of dextrose, the average blood sugar values were 137 mgm. per cent after thirty minutes, 129 mgm. after one hour, 111 mgm. after two hours, and 96 mgm. after three hours. The composite blood sugar curve made of these figures was considered normal.
12. During the test, 34 or 58 per cent of the 59 patients showed glycosuria in single or multiple instances.
13. Applying the rather rigid criteria of Wayson and his associates to our series of 59 cases, we found that 36 or 61 per cent exhibited one or more abnormalities chiefly in the high incidence of glycosuria (58 per cent), and to a less extent in the high blood sugar findings (27 per cent).
14. In addition to the relatively high blood sugar curves in 27 per cent of the cases, it should be noted that on the other hand, 11 or 19 per cent of the 59 tests gave low, flat curves.
15. The renal threshold of most of our cases was low.


1 From the National Home for Lepers (United States Marine Hospital), Carville, Louisiana.

Published with permission of the Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service.






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Copyright © 1934 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.