Mukesh M. Agarwal

The International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) Initiative on gestational diabetes mellitus: A pragmatic guide for diagnosis, management, and care#

In addition to the authors, t he following people provided important contributions during the creation of the document. Thanks go to international experts: Tao Duan, Huixia Yang, Andre Van Assche, Umberto Simeoni, Tahir Mahmood, Biodun Olagbuji, Eugene Sobngwi, Maicon Falavigna, Rodolfo Martinez, Carlos Ortega, Susana Salzberg, Jorge Alvariñas, Gloria Lopez Steward, Silvia Lapertosa, Roberto Estrade, Cristina Faingold, Silvia García, Argyro Syngelaki, Stephen Colagiuri, Yoel Toledano, Mark Hanson, and Blami Dao. Special thanks, for FIGO guidance and coordination, go to President Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, President Elect CN Purandare, Chief Executive Hamid Rushwan, and Chair of the SMNH Committee, William Stones. The following external groups evaluated the document and support its contents: European Board and College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (EBCOG), The Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada (SOGC), Chinese Society of Perinatal Medicine, Diabetic Pregnancy Study Group (DPSG), African Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AFOG), South Asian Federation of Obstetrics and Gynecology (SAFOG), Australian Diabetes in Pregnancy Society (ADIPS), International Association of Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Groups (IADPSG), European Association of Perinatal Medicine (EAPM), Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group of India (DIPSI), and the Diabetes in Pregnancy Study Group of Latin America. In addition to the FIGO Executive Board, all relevant FIGO Committees and Working Groups contributed to and supported the document. Acknowledgments

Gestational diabetes mellitus: simplifying the international association of diabetes and pregnancy diagnostic algorithm using fasting plasma glucose.

OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) criteria on 1) gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis compared with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria and 2) the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) to predict GDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In 10,283 pregnant women undergoing a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for universal screening of GDM, two FPG thresholds (of the OGTT) were used to rule in and to rule out GDM. RESULTS The IADPSG and ADA criteria identified GDM in 3,875 (37.7%) women and 1,328 (12.9%) women, respectively (P < 0.0005). FPG thresholds of ≥5.1 mmol/l ruled in GDM in 2,975 (28.9%) women with 100% specificity, while <4.4 mmol/l ruled out GDM in 2,228 (21.7%) women with 95.4% sensitivity. FPG independently could have avoided the OGTT in 5,203 (50.6%) women. CONCLUSIONS The IADPSG criteria increased GDM prevalence nearly threefold. By circumventing a significant number of OGTTs, an initial FPG can greatly simplify the IADPSG diagnostic algorithm.

Gestational diabetes: dilemma caused by multiple international diagnostic criteria.

Aims  To highlight the variation in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes (GDM) as defined by six well‐accepted international expert panels.

Gestational diabetes: simplifying the IADPSG diagnostic algorithm using fasting plasma glucose

OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group (IADPSG) criteria on 1) gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) diagnosis compared with the American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria and 2) the fasting plasma glucose (FPG) to predict GDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In 10,283 pregnant women undergoing a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) for universal screening of GDM, two FPG thresholds (of the OGTT) were used to rule in and to rule out GDM. RESULTS The IADPSG and ADA criteria identified GDM in 3,875 (37.7%) women and 1,328 (12.9%) women, respectively (P < 0.0005). FPG thresholds of ≥5.1 mmol/l ruled in GDM in 2,975 (28.9%) women with 100% specificity, while <4.4 mmol/l ruled out GDM in 2,228 (21.7%) women with 95.4% sensitivity. FPG independently could have avoided the OGTT in 5,203 (50.6%) women. CONCLUSIONS The IADPSG criteria increased GDM prevalence nearly threefold. By circumventing a significant number of OGTTs, an initial FPG can greatly simplify the IADPSG diagnostic algorithm.

Biosocial factors affecting vitamin D status of women of childbearing age in the united arab emirates

Low serum 25-OHD in female Arab subjects, which may predispose their infants to hypocalcaemia, has been suggested to be due to inadequate sunshine exposure, but may include other sociobiological factors. The effects of duration of sunshine exposure--weighted against the magnitude of clothing (UV exposure) and other sociobiological variables such as age, education and living accommodation--on serum 25-OHD and mineral status of 33 UAE national women of childbearing age were compared with those of 25 non-Gulf Arabs and seventeen Europeans. Serum concentrations of calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase and intact parathyroid hormone among the groups were not significantly different. The serum concentration of 25-OHD in UAE nationals was 8.6 ng/ml (4.5-17.4), mean +/- 1 SD, and in non-Gulf Arabs 12.6 ng/ml (6.0-26.4); both these values were significantly lower (p = < 0.0001) than the 64.3 ng/ml (49-84.3) found in Europeans. Compared with Europeans, the UAE and non-Gulf Arabs in this study were younger, had fewer years of education and had significantly lower clothing and UV scores (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation (r = 0.59425) between serum 25-OHD and UV score, but not with length of exposure. After adjusting for other confounding variables, nationality, clothing and UV scores remained major determinants of serum 25-OHD (p < 0.0001). Therefore, limited skin exposure to sunlight appears to be an important determinant of vitamin D status in our subjects. Strategies to increase vitamin D stores should include vitamin D supplementation or advice on effective sunlight exposure.

Gestational diabetes: a reappraisal of HBA1c as a screening test

Background.  Recent technological advances have made HBA1c a more standardized and user‐friendly test with wide availability. This study evaluated HBA1c as a screening test for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in a high‐risk population.

Fasting plasma glucose as a screening test for gestational diabetes in a multi‐ethnic, high‐risk population

SUMMARY

Diet, clothing, sunshine exposure and micronutrient status of Arab infants and young children

Summary Vitamin C and D levels in Arab women and their newborn infants have been shown to be low. We investigated the prevalence of and risk factors for possible hypovitaminosis C and D in a convenience sample of 51 hospitalized children without clinical features of vitamin C or D deficiency. The mean age was 15.4 months. The serum vitamin C concentration was low in the mothers but normal in the children. Both mothers and children had low serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) concentrations. Fifty per cent of the mothers and 22% of the infants and children had hypovitaminosis D (serum 25-OHD level < 25 nmol/l). Infants who received dietary vitamin D supplementation had a higher mean (SD) serum 25-OHD concentration than the unsupplemented group (62.5 (29.8) vs 38.5 (27.3), p = 001). Cutaneous light exposure in these children was poor. The childrens serum 25-OHD concentration correlated with dietary vitamin D supplementation and maternal serum 25-OHD levels. The results suggest normal vitamin C status but a possible high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in Arab children and their mothers in UAE. Health education to encourage greater sunshine exposure and improvement in maternal vitamin D stores and the availability of adequate vitamin D supplements would improve childrens vitamin D status. The study indicates that hypovitaminosis D continues to be an important maternal and child health problem, despite the abundant sunshine.

Strategies for implementing the WHO diagnostic criteria and classification of hyperglycaemia first detected in pregnancy

The World Health Organization (WHO) has recently released updated recommendations on Diagnostic Criteria and Classification of Hyperglycaemia First Detected in Pregnancy which are likely to increase the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Any increase in the number of women with GDM has implications for health services since these women will require treatment and regular surveillance during the pregnancy. Some health services throughout the world may have difficulty meeting these demands since country resources for addressing the diabetes burden are finite and resource allocation must be prioritised by balancing the need to improve care of people with diabetes and finding those with undiagnosed diabetes, including GDM. Consequently each health service will need to assess their burden of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy and decide if and how it will implement programmes to test for and treat such women. This paper discusses some considerations and options to assist countries, health services and health professionals in these deliberations.

Gestational diabetes: fasting capillary glucose as a screening test in a multi-ethnic, high-risk population

Aims  In populations at high risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), screening every pregnant woman by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) is very demanding. The aim of this study was to determine the value of the fasting capillary glucose (FCG) as a screening test for GDM.