Hypoadrenalinemia During Insulin Hypoglycemia in Children with Ketotic Hypoglycemia

Employing a precise and sensitive double-isotope derivative technique plasma adrenaline was measured in adults and in children with and without spontaneous hypoglycemia before and after intravenous injection of insulin. In adults the rise in plasma adrenaline during hypoglycemia was dependent on the blood glucose concentration attained. Children without spontaneous hypoglycemia showed about the same rise in plasma adrenaline as the adults. Four children with spontaneous hypoglycemia had adrenaline concentrations during hypoglycemia of less than 5 per cent of the expected values. It is suggested that ketotic hypoglycemia and spontaneous hypoglycemia associated with hypoadrenalinemia are the same disease.