Serum trehalase activities in controlled and uncontrolled diabetes and the impact of oral glucose, high carbohydrate and glycosuria on serum levels

Abstract

Nineteen healthy volunteers, made up of two groups were subjected to an extended oral glucose tolerance study. In one group, each had 50g glucose and in the other a high carbohydrate meal. Blood glucose and serum trehalase activities were determined on fasting blood samples and specimens collected half-hourly for 4 hours. The values obtained for both at each stage of the investigations were compared with one another. Correlation coefficient (r) between blood glucose and serum trehalase were 0.4923 for the fasting samples and 0.4762 at 1 hr. The impact of diabetes and glycosuria on serum trehalase activities in 50 diabetics consisting of treated (controlled) and untreated (uncontrolled) cases was also studied. Our study reveals a slight fall in serum trehalase values from the initial fasting level, but thereafter a gradual and progressive rise during the course of the glucose tolerance investigations. Serum trehalase values were higher in diabetics compared to normal subjects (t = 7.0168, P = 0.005). Diabetics with glycosuria had a significantly higher mean serum trehalase compared to the controlled group (t = 5.233, P = 0.005). High serum trehalase values were seen in diabetics with renal glycosuria at comparatively low levels of blood glucose. The significance of these findings is discussed in relation to the possible place of serum trehalase assay in the management of diabetes, especially when this is made difficult by renal glycosuria.