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Maternal metabolic response to dietary treatment for impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus

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Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971 -) Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Dietary advice is a standard component of treatment for pregnant women with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and gestational diabetes (GDM), yet few studies report glycemic profiles in response to dietary therapies and the optimal dietary approach remains uncertain.

Aim

To assess changes in maternal glycemic profile and pregnancy outcomes among women with diet-controlled IGT and GDM.

Methods

Pregnant women who had one or more elevated values on a 3-h oral glucose tolerance test were enrolled. All participants received dietary advice and glucose monitoring as part of routine clinical care. Fasting and 1-h post-prandial blood samples, collected prior to initiation of clinical treatment and repeated 4–6 weeks later, were analyzed for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. Women who required pharmacological therapy for glucose control were excluded from analyses.

Results

Participants (N = 93) were of moderately older age (mean 33 years), with a high rate of overweight/obesity (mean body mass index (BMI) = 28.65 kg/m2), and were diagnosed late in gestation (mean 29 weeks). Fasting (mean ± SD 4.82 ± 0.53 to 4.60 ± 0.42 mmol/l; p < 0.001) and post-prandial glucose (7.01 ± 1.19 to 6.47 ± 1.10; p = 0.004) decreased significantly following the intervention. Baseline HOMA-IR was elevated (3.12 ± 1.03) but did not significantly decrease (2.78 ± 1.52; p = 0.066). There were high rates of macrosomia (24.7%) and cesarean delivery (32.3%).

Conclusions

Although improvements in blood glucose levels were observed among women with diet-controlled IGT and GDM, this was insufficient to significantly affect insulin resistance or perinatal outcome. Late diagnosis and treatment of IGT/GDM may have contributed to such outcomes.

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Funding

This research was funded by the National Maternity Hospital Medical Fund with support from the Ivo Drury Award and The European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013), project EarlyNutrition under grant agreement no. 289346. The funding sources had no role in the study design, data collection, interpretation or analysis, writing of the manuscript, or decision to submit for publication.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UCD Perinatal Research Centre, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Karen L. Lindsay, Maria A. Kennelly, Michael E. Foley & Fionnuala M. McAuliffe

  2. UCD Institute of Food and Health, School of Food Science and Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Lorraine Brennan

  3. Department of Clinical Nutrition, National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Sinéad Curran

  4. Department of Midwifery, National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Mary Coffey

  5. Department of Clinical Chemistry, St. Vincent’s University Hospital, Elm Park, Dublin 4, Ireland

    Thomas P. Smith

  6. Department of Endocrinology, National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Mensud Hatunic

  7. UCD Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin, National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland

    Fionnuala M. McAuliffe

Authors
  1. Karen L. Lindsay
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  9. Fionnuala M. McAuliffe
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Correspondence to Fionnuala M. McAuliffe.

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The study received full institutional ethical approval and written informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Lindsay, K.L., Brennan, L., Kennelly, M.A. et al. Maternal metabolic response to dietary treatment for impaired glucose tolerance and gestational diabetes mellitus. Ir J Med Sci 187, 701–708 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-018-1744-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11845-018-1744-y

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