Effect of acute hyperglycemia on clotting time and relative plasma viscosity (RPV) during menstruation

Abstract

Menstruating females seem to bleed more when they ingest sugar or sugar containing substances. This study was carried out to determine the effect of acute hyperglycemia on clotting time and relative plasma viscosity during menstruation. Forty menstruating females from the St. Philomena School of Midwifery, Benin, Nigeria volunteered for the study. following ethical approval from St. Philomena Catholic Hospital, blood samples were collected from the ante cubital vein; pre-ingestion, one hour and two hours post ingestion of glucose concentrations (39 g/200ml, 78 g/200ml). Fasting blood samples and post glucose ingestion blood samples were analyzed for Sugar, Clotting time and Relative Plasma Viscosity (RPV) using Standard laboratory methods. Results were analyzed with paired t-test and values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant. The result showed a statistically significant increase (p<0.05) in clotting time and a decrease in relative plasma viscosity (p<0.05) one hour after the intake of both glucose concentrations. Two hours after glucose intake, there was a decrease in clotting time towards the baseline and an increase in RPV towards the baseline. This study thus suggests that acute hyperglycemia increases clotting time and reduced RPV in menstruating girls. This may be the reason for the perceived sense of increased menstrual flow.

© 2015 International Formulae Group. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Clotting time, Relative Plasma Viscosity (RPV), menstruation, blood sugar