CAROTENOID.S AND VITAMINS A IN THE BLOOD 465 



quently been noted. In fact, the association of the two conditions is in- 

 dicated by the term "xanthosis diabetica," which has been apphed to pig- 

 mentation of the skin mider these conditions. This has led many workers 

 to the general conclusion that the conversion of carotene to \dtamin A is 

 interfered with in diabetes mellitus, and that this fact accomits for the high 

 le\'el of plasma carotene. ^--~^'-^ Galeone^-^ suggests a possible hormonal 

 effect upon vitamin A and metabolism in this disease. Ralli and associ- 

 r^^gg3oi,322 y^YQYe able to demonstrate a fasting carotenemia in their diabetic 

 patients, and also reported that the carotene tolerance curve was elevated 

 in these patients. The blood carotene reached higher values and re- 

 mained elevated longer in the case of diabetics than in normal subjects. 

 Moreover, it was found that the carotene content of the liver was higher in 

 patients with dial)etes mellitus than in normal subjects. ^"^ Rabinowitch^-^ 

 is of the opinion that the extent of carotenemia can be directly correlated 

 with the severity of the diabetic condition. The cause of the disordered 

 carotene metabohsm is not known. 



However, there has recently been an increasing tendency to consider the 

 attendant carotenemia in diabetes mellitus as an independent phenomenon. 

 Goodwin-" is of the opinion that the high plasma carotene values are merely 

 a reflection of the modification in dietary regimen recommended in diabetes 

 mellitus, i.e., one which is rich in vegetables containing carotene. More- 

 over, Kimble, Germak, and Sevringhaus^^" reported that no statistically 

 significant increase in the plasma carotene level could be demonstrated in 

 diabetics. Similar conclusions as to the absence of a causative relation- 

 ship between diabetes mellitus and carotenemia were propounded by 

 Mosenthal and Loughlin,^^^ Lambrechts et al.,^^- and Escudero and co- 

 workers. ^^^ The latter ^^^ found the plasma carotene increased, but at- 



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 soc, 106, 1975-1978 (1936). 



3" W. Hermann, J. Am. Med. Assoc, 106, 2050-2052 (1936). 



324 G. H. Stueck, G. Flaum, and E. P. Ralli, /. Am. Med. Assoc, 109, 343-344 (1937). 



"5 G. Oliva and M. Pescarmona, Arch. sci. med., 68, 537-546 (1939). 



326 I. M. Rabinowitch, Arch. Internal Med., JfS, 586-592 (1930). 



327 H. Brandaleone and E. P. Ralli, Proc Soc Exptl. Biol. Med., 32, 200-201 (1934). 



328 J. G. Brazer and A. C. Curtis, Arch. Internal Med., 65, 90-105 (1940). 



323 A. Galeone, Arch. sci. med., 75, 560-576 (1943); Chem. Zentr., Vol. 114, 1943,11; 

 1727; Chem. Abst., 39, 119 (1945). 



330 M. S. Kimble, O. A. Germak, and E. L. Sevringhaus, Am. J. Med. Sci., 212, 574- 

 585 (1946). 



331 H. O. Mosenthal and W. C. Loughlin, J. Mt. Sinai Hosp., 12, 523-526 (1945). 



332 A. Lambrechts, C. Leleux, and A. Thomas, Acta med. Scand., 116, 11-19 (1943). 



333 P. Escudero, P. M. Cereijo, M. L. Herraiz, A. M. Benedetto, and E. Muamanno, 

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