Glucose intolerance in spinal cord injury.

Glucose intolerance occurs frequently in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI). In a retrospective chart analysis 23% of 57 consecutive discharges from a large SCI service had fasting hyperglycemia, and in a screening study, 30% of a group of stable SCI patients had 2-hour glucose values exceeding 200mg/dl after a glucose load and another 40% had values exceeding 140mg/dl. The glucose intolerance in many SCI patients is characterized by hyperinsulinemia after glucose is administered orally or intravenously. More than 40% of a group of glucose intolerant SCI patients had elevated insulin levels, suggesting tissue resistance to endogenous insulin.