SERUM ESTERIFIED FATTY ACIDS WITH FAT TOLERANCE TESTS IN DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

LIPEMIA and acetonuria, in patients with diabetes mellitus, for many years have been regarded as evidence of disturbed fat metabolism. Summaries¹ with additional studies have been published. According to Bloor, Gillette and James, the lipemia in controlled diabetes can be small, but high values occur in the moderately severe disease and the blood lipids in some subjects are remarkably increased. These authors fed 100 cc. quantities of olive oil emulsified in acacia to dogs and determined postprandial lipemia curves. Then nine tenths of the pancreas was removed, and after wound healing the experiments were repeated. The postabsorptive level of the blood lipids in these diabetic dogs increased even to the stage of serum opalescence. The glycerides were increased the most, cholesterol next and lecithin the least. With a standard meal these diabetic dogs also had an increased lipemia, again mainly of the glycerides, with cholesterol following and lecithin changed