Anthropometric + Biochemical Markers May Aid Gestational Diabetes Diagnosis

WEDNESDAY, Jan. 10, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- The combination of pregnancy weight and biochemical markers may be able to improve diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), according to a review published online Dec. 18 in Communications Medicine.

Ellen C. Francis, Ph.D., from Rutgers School of Public Health in Piscataway, New Jersey, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify potential precision markers for GDM.

Based on 137 included studies, the researchers found that maternal anthropometrics were the most frequent risk marker. A meta-analysis showed that women with GDM and overweight/obesity have a higher risk for offspring macrosomia (13 studies [28,763 participants]; odds ratio [OR], 2.65) and large for gestational age (LGA; 10 studies [20,070 participants]; OR, 2.23) compared with GDM with normal-range body mass index. The most studied nonglycemic biochemical markers were lipids and insulin resistance/secretion indices, with increased triglycerides and insulin resistance generally associated with a greater risk for offspring macrosomia or LGA. There were inconsistent findings among studies evaluating other markers as to whether they could be used as precision markers.

"In our full text screening of 775 studies, we found that only recently has there been a focus on clinical, biochemical, or sociocultural markers that could improve who is at greatest risk of poor outcomes, and on comparing clinical outcomes between different subtypes of GDM," Francis said in a statement. "We may be able to refine how we diagnose GDM by using anthropometric or biochemical information in combination with current diagnostic approaches."

Abstract/Full Text