ABSTRACT
The minute-to-minute effect on blood glucose levels of high-dextrose peritoneal dialysate is not known. We arranged for 7 patients with diabetes, treated by peritoneal dialysis (PD), to wear a continuous glucose monitoring system (CGMS: Medtronic MiniMed, Northridge, CA, U.S.A.). A sensor was inserted subcutaneously into the skin of the patient's abdomen or back to measure glucose in the interstitial fluid. Readings were recorded every 5 minutes for up to 72 hours. The portion of the day during which the patient's blood glucose levels were greater than 180 mg/dL (calculated as a percentage of time) was recorded. Most of the patients participating in the study had elevated levels of glycohemoglobin and hemoglobin A1c, and, for a large percentage of the day, showed blood glucose tracings well above the recommended standards of control. Representative CGMS tracings from patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes are shown.
