Salbutamol and ketonuria in pregnancy. Case report

A patient is described who had heavy ketonuria without associated glycosuria during treatment with salbutamol in pregnancy. Blood glucose and ketone concentrations were normal while urine secretion of ketone bodies was increased. This suggests that ketonuria resulted from an altered renal threshold rather than a change in intermediary metabolism. Plasma ketone concentration should be measured before stopping salbutamol on the basis of ketonuria alone.