Blood glucose in anaesthetised children. Comparison of blood glucose concentrations in children fasted for morning and afternoon surgery.

Blood glucose levels were measured immediately after induction of anaesthesia and again intraoperatively in 26 children fasted overnight for operations in the morning and 28 children fasted from 8.00 a.m. for afternoon surgery. The mean post-induction glucose concentration of the afternoon surgery group was significantly lower than that of the morning group. However, no child in either group was hypoglycaemic. Anesthesia and surgery caused significant increases in blood glucose levels. It is concluded that pre-operative fasting is well tolerated in healthy pre-school children, regardless of the timing of surgery.