Authors
Koutsikos D. Fourtounas C. Kapetanaki A. Agroyannis B. Tzanatos H.
Rammos G. Kopelias I. Bosiolis B. Bovoleti O. Darema M. Sallum G.
Institution
Department of Nephrology, Aretaieon University Hospital, Athens, Greece.
Title
Oral glucose tolerance test after high-dose i.v. biotin
administration in normoglucemic hemodialysis patients.
Source
Renal Failure. 18(1):131-7, 1996 Jan.
Abstract
Abnormal glucose metabolism in uremia may result from a complex interplay
between decreased insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Recent studies
report beneficial effect of biotin administration in glucose
metabolism in diabetic animals and in a small number of patients with
diabetes mellitus. The aim of the present study was to
evaluate the response of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) to the i.v.
administration of large doses of biotin in hemodialysis
patients. Eleven hemodialysis patients aged 56.90 +/- 11.20 (32-76) years on
regular hemodialysis thrice a week for 2.72 +/- 1.79 (1-7) years were
studied. Fasting venous plasma glucose, glucosylated hemoglobin (%GH), and
plasma glucose concentration 2 h after the administration of a 75-g glucose
load were measured before, and 2 weeks and 2 months after administration of
50 mg of biotin i.v. postdialysis, and after a 2-month
washout period. During the study, dialysis schedule and patients' medication,
diet, and dry weight were kept unchanged. OGTT was abnormal in 4 patients
before biotin administration and became normal in 3 patients
(75%). Our results offer support to the findings of other studies about the
beneficial effect of biotin in experimental or clinical
diabetes mellitus, and argue for the involvement of
biotin in glucose metabolism.