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Terbutaline tocolysis and glucose intolerance
A C Regenstein1, J Belluomini, M Katz
1Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, University of California, San Francisco.
Objective:
To determine whether there is an increased incidence of glucose intolerance in association with chronic terbutaline therapy, administered either orally or as a continuous subcutaneous infusion.
Methods:
Sixty-nine women received terbutaline, orally (38 subjects) or as a continuous subcutaneous infusion (31 subjects). Their gestational diabetes screening results were compared to the results in 82 women not receiving beta-mimetic therapy.
Results:
Subjects receiving terbutaline had significantly higher mean glucose concentrations after the 1-hour 50-g glucose tolerance test (GTT) than did controls (P < .05, one-way analysis of variance with multiple comparisons). Among subjects receiving a continuous subcutaneous infusion of terbutaline, the incidence of abnormal 3-hour 100-g GTT results was higher than among controls (20 versus 4%; P = .023 by chi 2).
Conclusions:
The incidence of GTT abnormalities is increased among women receiving terbutaline. We recommend surveillance of glucose tolerance among patients receiving terbutaline chronically, regardless of the route of administration.