Alterations in Renal Threshold for Sugar by Oral Administration of Cortisone Acetate

Summary

A simple method is described for determination of the renal threshold for glucose in untreated and cortisone-treated individuals. In 4 patients the “breakdown” of the glucose-threshold was investigated and was found to be markedly decreased after 6 days of orally administered cortisone, 200 mg daily. The decrease amounted to an average of 86 mg per 100 ml of blood with a range from 52 to 132 mg per 100 ml. In another group of 4 patients, both the “breakdown” and the “restoration” thresholds were determined. The breakdown values for the first group were confirmed and in addition the restoration of the threshold was also found to be at a lower level for blood sugar, averaging 68 mg per 100 ml less after cortisone than before it with individual variations from 35 to 116 mg per 100 ml.