Test Code OBGTT Gestational Glucose Tolerance (GTT) Testing
Specimen and Container/Tube
Specimen Type: Plasma
Preferred Specimen: Grey Top, NaF/K-Oxalate
Other Acceptable specimens: None
Specimen Stability
Storage Temperature |
Stability |
Room temperature |
3 days |
Refrigerated |
3 days |
Frozen |
Not acceptable |
Collection Instructions
- Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures.
- Fasting Draw: a fasting blood sample should be drawn into a gray top Vacutainer tube before Glucocrush® 100 ingestion. Sample is labeled GGTT Fasting.
- Glucose Beverage Ingestion: Patient drinks the entire bottle of refrigerator-temperature Glucocrush® 100 solution within 5 minutes. Timing begins the moment the patient starts drinking. Patient is to remain seated as much of the time as possible and is not to chew gum, smoke, drink or eat during the test. Ingestion of small amounts of water is acceptable
-
Prepare for Blood Draw
- If the patient feels ill, or if she regurgitates, the phlebotomy staff should be notified immediately in order to contact the patient's physician for further instructions. If the physician instructs to have the test completed, this will be noted on the chemistry requisition.
- Patient will return for blood draw no more than 55 minutes after the ingestion.
-
Specimen Collection
- Sample is drawn using a Gray Top Tube, exactly 60 minutes after the patient started drinking the solution. Sample tube is labeled "GGTT60" and sent immediately to the laboratory.
- At 2 hours (120 minutes after glucose ingestion began) label GGTT120.
- At 3 hours (180 minutes after glucose ingestion began) label GGTT180.
- All blood samples are brought immediately to the lab for testing.
Specimen Handling and Transport Instructions
UCMC Onsite Instructions:
- Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures.
UCMC Offsite and UC MedLab Outreach Instructions:
- Collect specimen per standard laboratory collection procedures.
- Centrifuge specimens at >2500 x g for 10 minutes at room temperature within 2 hours of collection.
- Aliquot removed plasma into a plastic tubes containing a minimum of 0.2 mL of specimen.
- Plasma samples must then be sent room temperature at 20 - 25oC
Rejection Criteria
- Common specimen rejected situations include: incorrect specimen type, insufficient volume, missing or incomplete specimen identifiers, incorrect specimen transport, or specimens outside stability limits.
- Specimens that are clotted or grossly hemolyzed.
- Specimens that were transported unspun/whole blood and draw time is greater than 6 hours
Reference Values
Test |
Age |
Sex |
Reference Range |
Glucose, fasting |
All |
All |
<100 mg/dL |
Glucose 2 hour |
All |
All |
<140 mg/dL |
Critical Values
Analyte |
Unit |
Low |
High |
Age |
Glucose |
mg/dL |
<40 |
>500 |
>14 days |
Turnaround Time
Turnaround times are relative to the time the specimen is received in the test laboratory.
STAT Turnaround Time: Not Available as STAT test
Routine Turnaround Time: 4 hours
Testing Schedule: 24/7
Clinical Indications
The Gestational Glucose Tolerance Tests (GGTT) is a diagnostic test for diabetes in pregnant patients usually between 24 and 28 weeks of pregnancy. Venous plasma glucose is measured in a fasting patient before and at 1, 2, and 3 hour intervals after an oral dose of 100 g of glucose.
Test Components
Glucose fasting, Glucose each hour of test time period
Methodology
Enzymatic Method with hexokinase (Roche Diagnostics)
CPT Codes
82951 - up to 3 specimens
82952 - each additional specimen beyond 3
LOINC Codes
TBD
Synonyms/Keyword Search
GGTT, OBGTT
Additional Information
- Results should always be assessed in conjunction with patient's medical history, clinical examination and other findings.
- Interpretation of Results:
-
- Any two results reaching or exceeding the following limits for a 100g oral glucose load are generally considered definitive for the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); however, exceptions can occur (see references below.):
- Fasting level 95 mg/dL
- 1 hour level of 180 mg/dL
- 2 hour level of 155 mg/dL
- 3 hour level of 140 mg/dL
Last Review Date
6/3/2025
Volume
Preferred Volume: 0.5 mL
Minimum Volume: 0.2 mL