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One Hour versus Two Hours Postprandial Glucose Measurement in Gestational Diabetes: A Prospective Study

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To compare the rate of adverse perinatal outcomes among women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), monitored by 1 versus 2 hour-postprandial glucose (PPG) measurements.

METHODS:

A total of 112 women diagnosed with GDM, by the criteria of Carpenter–Coustan, were included in the study population. Women were recruited from two different treatment settings, but were managed by the same team of health-care professionals using a standardized protocol. Allocation to treatment group was based on treatment setting. Glucose levels were measured fasting, and either 1 hour (1-hour monitoring group-target values <140 mg/dl) or 2 hours (2-hour monitoring group-target values <120 mg/dl) postprandially. Demographic data and perinatal outcomes were collected from their medical records.

RESULTS:

In all, 66 women were assigned to 1-hour monitoring group (1 h-PPG) and 46 women to 2-hour monitoring group (2 h-PPG). There were no differences in parity, family history of diabetes, rate of GDM in previous pregnancies, weight gain, pregestational BMI and 50-g-glucose challenge test (GCT) and 100-g oral glucose challenge test (OGTT) results. As expected, there was a significant difference in mean blood glucose levels between the two groups (108.1±19.2 and 94.9±21.2 mg/dl, 1- and 2 hours, respectively, p<0.0001); however, HbA1C levels were similar in the two groups. Perinatal outcomes were defined as gestational week at delivery; fetal weight (3325±471 vs 3309±608 g, respectively) and percentile (47.2±27 vs 49.6±30, respectively), and were similar for both groups. Insulin therapy was initiated more frequently in 2-hour monitoring group (28 and 40% of women in groups 1 and 2, respectively; p<0.05). Rates of macrosomia (7.5 versus 10.6%), large for gestational age (7.4 versus 15.2%), and delivery by cesarean section (24 versus 30%) were increased in group 2 (2 h-PPG) but these differences did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSION:

These data suggest that diet control in women with GDM managed by 1-hour PPG measurements is associated with a decreased rate of insulin therapy. However, neonatal and obstetrical outcomes are not determined by the timing of their glucose determinations.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the General Clinical Research Center branch of the National Center for Research Resources (2M01-RR-349).

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Weisz, B., Shrim, A., Homko, C. et al. One Hour versus Two Hours Postprandial Glucose Measurement in Gestational Diabetes: A Prospective Study. J Perinatol 25, 241–244 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jp.7211243

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