Abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness combined with a 50-g glucose challenge test at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy in predicting gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background

This investigation aimed to analyse the efficacy of abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness (ASFT) value >18.1 mm combined with a 50-g glucose challenge test (GCT) between 24-28 weeks of gestation in predicting gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) cases.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out from February 2021 to December 2022. All pregnant women received a 50-g GCT at 24-28 weeks of pregnancy for the GDM screening. Pregnant women with a blood glucose value between 140-190 mg/dl experienced 100 g OGTT. Even if 50-g GCT was normal, 100-g OGTT was offered to patients with an ASFT value above 18.1 mm

Results

Among the 728 pregnant women we enrolled, 154 (21.2%) cases were screened as positive. The number of patients who first screened positive and determined to be GDM after the 100-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was 43 (5.9%). A total of 67 cases (9.2%) had an ASFT measurement above 18.1 mm. Two cases with a negative 50-g GCT and ASFT <18.1 mm were diagnosed as GDM in the later weeks of pregnancy. A 50-g GCT combined with ASFT measurement above 18.1 mm predicted GDM with a sensitivity of 87.9%, a specificity of 88.7%, a positive predictive value (PPV) of 36.0%, and a negative PV (NPV) of 99.7%.

Conclusions

A 50-g GCT combined with ASFT measurement that can be easily and accurately obtained during routine antenatal care in the second trimester might be a beneficial indicator for predicting GDM cases.

PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY

Screening and diagnosing pregnant women at greater risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus are crucial to enhancing short- and long-term outcomes of the mother and foetus. An accurate diagnosis could provide proper treatment, which could be dietary or pharmacological, manage the disease, and improve pregnancy outcomes. In the current study, we revealed that gestational diabetes was predicted with high sensitivity and specificity in pregnant women with a 50-gram glucose challenge test and abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness measurement above 18.1 millimetres. Therefore, abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness measurement is anticipated to be extensively used as an indicative variable for predicting gestational diabetes mellitus cases during the second trimester of pregnancy.

Keywords:

• abdominal subcutaneous fat thickness
• gestational diabetes
• glucose challenge test

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Authors’ contributions

S.C.O., E.Z.Y., and M.Ş.B. performed the conceptualisation and designation of the research study. S.C.O. performed the research, experimental protocols, and data curation. S.C.O., E.Z.Y., and M.Ş.B. analysed the data and statistics. S.C.O. wrote the manuscript. S.C.O. performed the critical review of the manuscript. All authors have participated sufficiently in the work to take public responsibility for appropriate portions of the content and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to its accuracy or integrity. All authors have read the final manuscript and agreed on final approval of the version to be published.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.