The oral glucose tolerance test: a comparison of the time points on the basis of limit values, normal dispersion, and reproducibility.

Time points in the glucose tolerance test (GTT) are compared on the basis of limit values, dispersion within a reference population, and reproducibility. We suggest using the distance between a limit value and the median reference value as a measure of the magnitude of abnormality. The distance between 140 mg/100 ml and the median fasting plasma glucose value is chosen as a standard distance and limits for other points in the GTT are calculated to equal this standard distance of abnormality. We suggest that the probability of correctly interpreting an individual result is directly related to the reproducibility of the test and inversely related to the percentage of the total range of values which is dispersed among the normal population. The ratio of reproducibility to percentage normal dispersion is proposed as an index of the probability of correctly interpreting an individual result. According to this index, and probability of correct interpretation varies in order: fasting plasma glucose concentration greater than 3-h greater than 2-h greater than 0.5-h greater than 1-h plasma glucose concentration.