Comparative study of the blood sugar concentration in the arterial and venous blood of diabetic patients during insulin action.

The conclusions reached in the preceding abstract led to the study of the differences in blood sugar concentrations in arterial and venous blood of normal and diabetic subjects during the action of insulin.

The arterial blood was collected from the finger according to the technique of Foster. 1 Sugar was determined by the Hagedorn and Jensen method. 2

The difference in the sugar concentration in arterial and venous blood of normal fasting individuals was found to be 5.5 mg. (average of 16 cases). For diabetic patients the difference in sugar content of the artery and vein was very variable ranging from 0-28 mg., the difference being in general higher than for normal persons.

During insulin action 6 out of the 7 diabetics examined showed a larger intake of sugar by the muscle. The highest observed difference was 35 mg. One case showed a diminished intake of sugar by the muscle during insulin action dropping to 0 three hours after the insulin injection. This indicates, as in the case of animals, that diabetic patients may react in several ways toward insulin. No conclusive data have as yet been obtained regarding the behaviour of the muscle of normal subjects during insulin action. In the three cases examined the muscle took up more sugar only during the early period of the insulin action.