Effect of oral glucose loading on serum gastrin level in pregnant and non-pregnant women

Aim. To evaluate the relationship between the changes in gastrin and insuli n serum concentrations after oral glucose loading in pregnant and non-pregn ant women. Methods. Thirty women, 12 pregnant and 18 non-pregnant, with normal fasting glucose values were included in the study. Serum concentrations of gastrin , glucose, insulin, and glucagon were analyzed at 0 (t1), 30 (t2) and 60 (t 3) minutes after 75 g oral glucose loading. Gastrin, insulin, and glucagon levels were determined by means of radioimmunoassay kits. Results. Serum gastrin concentration in pregnant women increased insignific antly (gastrin median values 57.91, 70.62, and 68.70 for t1, t2, and t3, re spectively; Friedman's test, p=0.264). In non-pregnant women gastrin levels insignificantly increased from t1 to t2, but reduced significantly from t2 to t3 (gastrin median values 62.91, 86.92, and 62.25 for t1, t2 and t3, re spectively; Bonferroni adjusted Wilcoxon test, p=0.002). Unlike in pregnant women, the changes in gastrin release in non-pregnant women were associate d with changes in blood glucose concentrations at t2 and t3, which were ind uced by oral glucose loading. Glucose median values were 7.48 and 6.43 for t2 and t3, respectively. The insulin release due to the oral glucose loadin g markedly increased at t2 and t3 (Friedman's test, p<0.001), whereas gluca gon release decreased irrespective of pregnancy. Conclusion. Changes in blood glucose concentrations induced by oral glucose loading could influence gastrin release, especially in non-pregnant women. Changes in insulin and glucagon levels induced by oral glucose loading, pa rticularly after 60 minutes, could not be associated with changes in gastri n release.