Plasma volume expansion from the intravenous glucose tolerance test before and after hip replacement surgery

Hyperosmotic glucose is injected intravenously when an intravenous glucose tolerance test (IVGTT) is initiated. The extent and time period of plasma volume expansion that occurs in response to the glucose load has not been studied in the perioperative setting.

Twenty-two non-diabetic patients aged between 57 and 76 years (mean 68) underwent an IVGTT, during which 0.3 g/kg of glucose 30% (1 ml/kg) was injected as a bolus over one minute, one day before and two days after hip replacement surgery. Twelve blood samples were collected over 75 minutes from each patient. The turnover of both the exogenous glucose and the injected fluid volume was calculated by means of mass balance and volume kinetic analysis.

The IVGTT raised plasma glucose by 9 mmol/L and the plasma volume by 8%. The extracellular fluid volume increased by 320 (SD 60) ml of which 2/3 could be accounted for in the plasma. The half-life of the exogenous glucose averaged 30 minutes before surgery and 36 minutes postoperatively (P < 0.02). The glucose elimination governed 86% of the decay of the plasma volume expansion, which occurred with a half-life of 12 minutes before to 21 minutes after the surgery (median, P < 0.001).

Hyperosmotic glucose translocated intracellular water to the plasma volume rather than to the entire extracellular fluid volume. The preferential re-distribution acts to dilute the plasma concentrations used to quantify insulin sensitivity and ß-cell function from an IVGTT. The greater-than-expected plasma dilution lasted longer after than before surgery.