Glucose tolerance test

How the Test is Performed:
In the GTT, the patient's ability to tolerate a standard oral glucose load is evaluated by assessing serum and urine specimens for glucose levels. Blood samples are taken before the glucose is ingested, glucose is given by mouth, and blood (and often, urine) glucose levels are repeated 30 min., 1 hour, 2 hours , and 3 hours after ingestion.

Child or adult:
For the urine sample, collect a "clean-catch" ("midstream") urine sample. To obtain a clean-catch sample, men or boys should wipe clean the head of the penis . Women or girls need to wash the area between the lips of the vagina with soapy water and rinse well. As you start to urinate, allow a small amount to fall into the toilet bowl (this clears the urethra of contaminants). Then, in a clean container, catch about 1 to 2 ounces of urine and remove the container from the urine stream. Give the container to the health care provider or assistant.

Infant:
Thoroughly wash the area around the urethra. Open a urine collection bag (a plastic bag with an adhesive paper on one end), and place it on your infant. For males, the entire penis can be placed in the bag and the adhesive attached to the skin. For females, the bag is placed over the labia. Place a diaper over the infant (bag and all). Check your baby frequently and remove the bag after the infant has urinated into it. For active infants, this procedure may take a couple of attempts--lively infants can displace the bag, causing an inability to obtain the specimen. The urine is drained into a container for transport back to the health care provider.

Adult or child:
Blood is drawn from a vein ( venipuncture ), usually from the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand. The puncture site is cleaned with antiseptic, and a tourniquet (an elastic band) or blood pressure cuff is placed around the upper arm to apply pressure and restrict blood flow through the vein. This causes veins below the tourniquet to distend (fill with blood). A needle is inserted into the vein, and the blood is collected in an air-tight vial or a syringe. During the procedure, the tourniquet is removed to restore circulation. Once the blood has been collected, the needle is removed, and the puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding .

Infant or young child:
The area is cleansed with antiseptic and punctured with a sharp needle or a lancet. The blood may be collected in a pipette (small glass tube), on a slide, onto a test strip, or into a small container. Cotton or a bandage may be applied to the puncture site if there is any continued bleeding.

How to Prepare:
Fast for 12 hours and do not eat during the test. Consult the health care provider if you are using medication that can interfere with the test results (see special considerations).

If the collection is being taken from an infant, a couple of extra collection bags may be necessary.

Infants and children:
The physical and psychological preparation you can provide for this or any test or procedure depends on your child's age, interests, previous experience, and level of trust. For specific information regarding how you can prepare your child, see the following topics as they correspond to your child's age:



How it Feels:
The test involves only normal urination, and there is no discomfort.

When the needle is inserted to draw blood, some people feel moderate pain, while others feel only a prick or stinging sensation. Afterward, there may be some throbbing .

Risks:
People with known diabetes or hypoglycemia are not typically given this test. If people with these conditions have a reaction during the test, medication can be administered.

Risks from venipuncture include:

  • excessive bleeding
  • fainting or feeling lightheaded
  • hematoma (blood accumulating under the skin)
  • infection (a slight risk any time the skin is broken)
  • multiple punctures to locate veins



Why this Test is Performed:
This test is commonly indicated when diabetes mellitus is suspected; it may also be used to confirm hypoglycemia without diabetes mellitus (intolerance of carbohydrates ).

Normal Values:
blood:

  • fasting: 70 to 115 mg/dl
  • 30 min.: less than 200
  • 1 hour: less than 200
  • 2 hour: less than 140
  • 3 hour: 70 to 115
  • 4 hour: 70 to 115

urine:

  • negative (no glucose present)

Note: mg/dl = milligrams per deciliter

Abnormal Results:
Greater-than-normal levels of glucose may indicate

Abnormal results could also indicate:

Additional conditions under which the test may be performed:



Cost:
The estimated cost is $46.

Special Considerations:
Interfering factors:

Drugs that may cause glucose intolerance include antihypertensives, anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), beta-blockers - oral, furosemide (see furosemide - oral), nicotine, oral contraceptives (birth control pills), psychiatric drugs, corticosteroids and thiazide diuretics.

Some patients are unable to tolerate a glucose load of 100 g (due to, for example, prior gastrectomy , short bowel syndrome , or malabsorption ). In these cases, an intravenous GTT can be performed with slightly different normal values.

Veins and arteries vary in size from one patient to another and from one side of the body to the other. Obtaining a blood sample from some people may be more difficult than from others.

serum glucose appropriately). Learn to make informed health care decisions with the Medical Encyclopedia at drkoop.com.">