Blood glucose concentrations in children undergoing outpatient dental anaesthesia

Fifty-six children, aged between 2 and 16 yr, undergoing dental extractions under general anaesthesia had their plasma glucose concentrations estimated before surgery. The mean concentration was 3.80 mmol litre-1. The lowest value was 2.2 mmol litre-1 in spite of starvation for 16.5 h. It is possible that outpatients are less susceptible to hypoglycaemia.