Early Prediction of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus Using Placental Strain Elastography and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue Thickness

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study is to investigate the efficacy of placental strain ratio values measured by real-time sonoelastography and maternal subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness measured by two-dimensional ultrasonography in predicting gestational diabetes mellitus in the first trimester.

Materials and methods The population of the study consisted of the first 210 consecutive singleton pregnant women who applied for routine first-trimester screening between the 11th and 14th week of gestation.B-mode subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness sonography and real-time placental strain elastography scanning were performed.All patients underwent 75 g oral glucose tolerance test between the 24th and 28th week of gestation. American Diabetes Association criteria were used in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Results It was observed that body mass index (p<0.001), first-trimester fasting blood sugar (p<0.001), subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (p<0.001), and placental strain ratio value (p<0.001) affected the development of gestational diabetes mellitus statistically. The multivariate analysis shown that subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (odds ratio=1.271, 95% CI=1.142–1.416, p<0.001) and placental strain ratio value (odds ratio=3.664, 95% CI=1.927–6.969, p<0.001) were the independent risk factors affecting the development of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Conclusions The findings of this study indicated a positive correlation between 75 g oral glucose tolerance test application and first trimester subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness and placental strain ratio. Using the cut-off values of>11.5 mm for subcutaneous adipose tissue and>0.986 for placental strain ratio, the development of gestational diabetes mellitus may be predicted in the early weeks of pregnancy.

Key words

Gestational diabetes mellitus - placental strain elastography - subcutaneous adipose tissue - ultrasonography

Publication History

Received: 21 December 2022

Accepted: 30 June 2023

Article published online:
16 August 2023

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