Prediction GDM by continuous glucose monitoring
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Prediction of gestational diabetes mellitus by continuous glucose monitoring
IRAS ID
336437
Contact name
Kypros Nicolaides
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 4 months, 1 days
Research summary
Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and usually goes away once your baby is born. In GDM your blood sugar levels increase and the treatment includes a low carbohydrate diet and in some cases the use of drugs, such as injection of insulin. In women developing GDM there is higher chance of delivery of large babies and this is may result in birth trauma for the mother and baby. There is also a higher chance of developing high blood pressure (preeclampsia) during pregnancy and high blood pressure and diabetes after pregnancy both for the mother and her baby.
Gestational diabetes is diagnosed by a test called glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The OGTT is carried out at 26-28 weeks and involves taking blood for measurement of sugar levels before and 2 hours after taking a sugary drink. However, such late diagnosis of GDM and subsequent treatment is inadequate in preventing complications during and after pregnancy.
A new way of measuring blood glucose levels, called continuous glucose monitoring (CGM), may be a better method of diagnosing or predicting development of GDM. It involves wearing a small sticky patch on the arm (the size of a £1 coin) whilst going about ordinary everyday life. The patch measures glucose levels every few minutes, day and night for up to two weeks, storing this information. It gives more than 4000 glucose readings over this time, which provides far more detail about what is happening with real life 24 hour glucose levels than the OGTT test. However, we do not currently know how 24 hour glucose levels are changing in pregnancy, or how changes in 24 hour glucose levels are related to the development of GDM.
The purpose of this study is to examine whether CGM during pregnancy can predict GDM at 20, rather than 20-28 weeks, and whether such earlier diagnosis could help prevent or reduce the risk of adverse outcome due to GDM.
REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 2
REC reference
24/ES/0014
Date of REC Opinion
5 Apr 2024
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion