Glucose metabolism in five septic neonatal foals

Abstract

Objective: Glucose metabolism is often deranged in septic animals. Bacteremia and sepsis are common in foals and clinical experience suggests that glucose metabolism is abnormal in some of these animals. The purpose of this study was to provide initial estimates of rates of glucose appearance, disappearance, and metabolic clearance rate in septic foals. Series Summary: Rates of glucose entry, and exit from blood were determined by use of infusion of isotopically labeled glucose in 5 foals with confirmed sepsis. Serum concentrations of glucose, insulin, glucagon, and cortisol were measured concurrent with measurement of rates of glucose turnover. Median glucose turnover rate was 24 μmol/kg/mi..