ESPE Abstracts

Background: Fasting blood glucose (FBG) is the recommended test to evaluate dysglycemia in overweight children, while the glucose tolerance test (GTT) is preferred in adults. FBG may be normal in dysglycemic children while GTT is abnormal.

Objective and hypotheses: Evaluate the correlation between fasting blood glucose and glucose tolerance test in overweight children.

Method: Fasting blood glucose were measured and in a different day a glucose tolerance test was done after 8 h of fasting using a glucose load of 1.75 g/kg with a maximum of 75 g. Blood glucose was measured before and after 2 h.

Results: We studied 214 children how were referred for weight management. Genetic and hormonal abnormalities were excluded. There were 124 girls and 90 boys. Age was 13±1.2 years. All children had BMI ≥ P85. 40 boys and 32 girls were obese with BMI≥95. Total 85 (55 boys and 30 girls) 40% had abnormal fasting glucose values 105±15 mg/dl. There were no difference between obese and overweight, of those only 11 boys and ten girls had abnormal tolerance test with glucose level of 160±18-mg/dl. (10% of the total number, 25% of those with impaired fasting glucose). Of those with normal fasting glucose (total 129, 94 girls, 35 boys) 7 (5%) (four boys and three girls) had impaired glucose tolerance test. Impaired fasting blood glucose and glucose tolerance test was more frequent in boys tan in girls (P<0.05). No difference were found between overweight and obese children.

Conclusion: Fasting glucose is an easy cheap and good screening method for detecting dysglycemia in overweight children. Glucose tolerance test should be restricted to individualized cases.