Oral Glucose Tolerance Testing Using Candy: A Sweet Solution to Improve Screening in Children with Cystic Fibrosis?

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Endocrinology
• Metabolic Disorders
• Cystic Fibrosis Research

Background:

• Oral glucose tolerance testing (OGTT) is crucial for children over 9 with cystic fibrosis (CF).
• Current compliance with standard OGTT protocols is suboptimal across healthcare centers.
• Identifying alternative methods to improve patient adherence is a clinical priority.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility of a candy-based OGTT as an alternative to the standard dextrose solution.
• To compare glycemic response and participant satisfaction between candy and liquid OGTT in pediatric CF patients.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involved seven children and adolescents with CF.
• A dextrose-based candy (Nerds®), free of fat, fiber, gelatin, and corn syrup, was used.
• Candy OGTT was administered 1-4 days after the standard oral dextrose solution OGTT.

Main Results:

• Glucose levels at 120 minutes were comparable between the candy and standard oral dextrose solution (p=0.8986).
• The study assessed glycemic curves and participant satisfaction.
• Some participants found consuming the large volume of candy in a short time challenging.

Conclusions:

• A carefully selected candy alternative may yield similar glycemic results to the standard OGTT in pediatric CF patients.
• Participant preference varied, with some favoring the traditional solution due to ease of consumption.
• Candy-based OGTT warrants further investigation as a strategy to enhance adherence in CF management.