Interstitial measurements of glucose, glycerol and lactate in adolescents with decompensated type 1 diabetes

OBJECTIVE: The study was undertaken to assess the interstitial, adipose tissue concentrations of glucose, lactate and glycerol in teenagers with diabetes type 1 who suffered from the disease for a minimum of 5 years, in whom it was impossible to reach a satisfactory level of metabolic control of the disease. METHODS: Using microdialysis technique interstitial concentrations of glucose lactate and glycerol was measured in adipose tissue during 24-48 hours. Nineteen teenagers with poorly controlled type 1 diabetes (HbA1c 8.9 +/- 2.85%) were compared with six adolescent control subjects. RESULTS: A statistically significant differences in concentration values of interstitial glucose between the investigated and control groups were found (10.4 vs. 4.26 mmol/l p=0.001). The values of interstitial concentrations of lactates did not significantly differ in the two groups (2.96 vs. 2.54 mmol/l NS). The average daily glycerol concentrations in the investigated group were statistically significantly lower than those in the control group (258.26 vs. 397.88 mu mol/l, p=0.019). No such difference was detected in average night concentrations of glycerol (157.78 vs. 361.4 mu mol/l, NS). CONCLUSIONS: Authors conclude that microdialysis is the only one minimal invasive method for investigating adipose tissue metabolism in vivo and provides a novel opportunity for glucose and lipids metabolism monitoring in adolescents with diabetes type 1. In our observations interstitial glycerol concentrations, measured in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue as an index of lipolysis, were not significantly influenced by hyperglycemia in diabetic adolescents.