Effect of acute glucose infusion on plasma levels of insulin, glucose and free fatty acids, and on the glucose removal rate in obese women

ABSTRACT

The objective of the present study was to report the variations in levels of insulin, free fatty acids and glucose occurring in a group of obese and nonobese women after acute intravenous glucose infusion. The difference between glucose and insulin levels in obese and nonobese women in response to glucose infusion was statistically significant. The mean maximum value for glucose detected in the obese group was 256 mg/dl versus 283 mg/dl in the nonobese group (p < 0.05). Insulin content was 147 muU/ml in the obese group versus 36 muU/ml in the nonobese group (p < 0.05). K (fractional removal rate constant for glucose) values were similar in both groups suggesting that the higher glucose and insulin peaks showed by the obese were due to the higher glucose uptake by the blood rather than its removal impairment.