The effect of glucose tolerance test on fetoplacental circulation

Taiwan J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Jul;60(4):723-727. doi: 10.1016/j.tjog.2021.05.024.

Abstract

Objective: Acute hyperglycemia affects the fetoplacental circulation. This study aims to investigate the possible effect of acute hyperglycemia induced by 50 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) on fetoplacental circulation in women between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation.

Materials and methods: Between January 2019 and April 2019, a total of 29 women who were between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation with a singleton gestation and were in low-risk group were included in this prospective study. All patients underwent fetal biometric measurements using ultrasonography (USG) and were administered 50 g OGTT. Before and 1 h after the test, Doppler USG was used to measure uterine artery, umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), pulsatility index (PI), resistance index (RI), and systolic/diastolic (S/D) ratio. The cerebroplacental ratio (CPR) was calculated as the ratio of the MCA-PI/UA-PI.

Results: There was a decline in the MCA-RI (p = 0.008) and UA-PI (p = 0.021) at 1 h after the administration of 50 g OGTT. Z-scores of the mean UA-PI, MCA-PI, and CPR were calculated and a statistically significant increase in the Z-scores of the mean UA-PI was observed (p = 0.028).

Conclusion: Our study results show that acute hyperglycemia induced by OGTT significantly increases the Z-scores of the UA-PI, affecting the fetoplacental circulation.

Keywords: Middle cerebral artery; Oral glucose tolerance test; Pulsatility index; Resistance index; Umbilical artery.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Female
  • Glucose Tolerance Test / adverse effects*
  • Humans
  • Hyperglycemia / chemically induced
  • Hyperglycemia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Middle Cerebral Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Placental Circulation / drug effects*
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / chemically induced
  • Pregnancy Complications / diagnostic imaging*
  • Pregnancy Trimester, Second / drug effects*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Pulsatile Flow / drug effects
  • Ultrasonography, Prenatal
  • Umbilical Arteries / diagnostic imaging
  • Uterine Artery / diagnostic imaging
  • Vascular Resistance / drug effects