Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
Two standard 75 g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) were performed on each of 16 patients, aged 65-84 years, presenting with a thrombotic stroke, and not previously known to have diabetes mellitus. The tests were performed within the first week and 12 weeks after the initial episode. There was no significant difference in the plasma glucose values between the tests. Six patients were diagnosed diabetic on the basis of both OGTTs being abnormal. Of the remaining ten, there was no worsening of glucose tolerance immediately following a stroke. It is concluded that an abnormal glucose tolerance soon after a stroke in the elderly represents true diabetes mellitus rather than 'functional diabetes'.
Samanta et al. (Wed,) studied this question.