Question
A pregnant diabetic patient, 25 weeks into her pregnancy, had a blood sugar level of 12.16 millimoles per liter (normal value should be less than 7.8 millimoles per liter) one hour after undergoing an oral 50-gram glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The doctor advised her to have a follow-up check-up one week later, involving four blood tests. Yesterday, she underwent the check-up again, and the results showed that her fasting blood sugar was 6.3 millimoles per liter (normal value should be less than 5.6 millimoles per liter), one hour after taking 75 grams of glucose, the blood sugar level was 14.73 millimoles per liter (normal value should be less than 10.3 millimoles per liter), two hours later it was 11.13 millimoles per liter (normal value should be less than 8.6 millimoles per liter), and three hours later it was 6.48 millimoles per liter (normal value should be less than 6.7 millimoles per liter). Only the blood sugar level at three hours was within the normal range.
Answer
The OGTT test is usually recommended for further examination if the fasting blood sugar is slightly elevated but has not reached the diagnostic criteria for diabetes (≥7.0 millimoles per liter on two measurements). If the fasting blood sugar is ≥7.0 millimoles per liter on two measurements, diabetes can be diagnosed directly. In a normal person, the blood sugar level reaches its peak between 30 to 60 minutes after taking oral glucose during the OGTT, with the peak value being less than 11.1 millimoles per liter; two hours later, the blood sugar level should return to normal, i.e., less than 7.8 millimoles per liter, and urine sugar should be negative.