'Spontaneous'/uremic hypoglycemia is not a distinct entity: substantiation from a literature review.

A review of the literature on 'spontaneous'/uremic hypoglycemia reveals that in only 4 of 36 cases is there no clear explanation for the low blood glucose. In all other cases there were factors in addition to chronic renal failure that could have accounted for hypoglycemia. These factors included states of malnutrition, drugs, and other illnesses. We propose that there is no merit in the term 'spontaneous' hypoglycemia, and that the multifactorial nature of uremic hypoglycemia should be appreciated.