Is selective screening for gestational diabetes mellitus worthwhile everywhere?

We assessed if selective screening for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) as recommended by the Fourth Workshop on GDM is worthwhile in our centre. Detection is performed using universal screening in three pregnancy periods using the tests recommended by the first three Workshops. We have analysed the prevalence of low-risk characteristics for GDM in the 917 women delivering in the centre in 1992 and in the whole cohort of 1635 women with GDM delivering between 1986 and 1998. The rate of women with all low risk characteristics was 7.0% among the general pregnant population and 1.3% in the cohort of women with GDM (p<0.001). We conclude that in our population, selective screening of GDM is reliable in identifying women at low risk of GDM, but since only a negligible subset of the pregnant population would not need to be screened, adherence to these guidelines would make the screening policy unnecessarily complicated.

Gestational diabetes mellitus: metabolic control during labour.

The purpose of this study was to assess, in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM): 1) metabolic control during labour using a standardised protocol; 2) the influence of therapy during pregnancy in intrapartum metabolic control and insulin requirements; and 3) the impact of maternal glycaemia during labour on neonatal hypoglycaemia. An observational study of 85 women with GDM (54 insulin-treated) was performed. Intrapartum metabolic management included i.v. glucose and insulin infusions, urinary ketone measurement and hourly capillary blood glucose (CBG) monitoring. Mean CBG from arrival to delivery was 4.7 +/- 1.1 mmol/l with 83% of mean CBG values within the target range (2.8-6.9 mmol/l). Mean CBG and insulin requirements were unrelated to therapy during pregnancy, but hypoglycaemia (CBG<2.8 mmol/l) was more frequent in women receiving insulin during pregnancy (40.7 vs 19.4 %, p<0.01). In several logistic regression models, CBG during labour was predictive of neonatal hypoglycaemia. We conclude that in women with GDM, the use of a standardised intrapartum management protocol is associated to fair metabolic control, that insulin requirements during labour are unrelated to therapy during pregnancy and that high CBG during labour increases the risk of neonatal hypoglycaemia.

In pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus and intensive therapy, perinatal outcome is worse in small-for-gestational-age newborns.

OBJECTIVE: This study analyzed the relationship between birth weight and perinatal outcome among women with gestational diabetes mellitus. STUDY DESIGN: The relationship between perinatal outcome and birth weight was analyzed for 821 pregnancies of women with gestational diabetes mellitus attended in a tertiary hospital and receiving intensive metabolic therapy (normocaloric diet, self-monitoring of blood glucose level and individually tailored insulin regimen when needed). The Mantel-Haenszel test was used to adjust for preterm delivery. RESULTS: Seven percent of neonates were small for gestational age, 85% were appropriate for gestational age, and 8% were large for gestational age. After adjustment for preterm delivery the rates of adverse fetal outcome, low 1-minute Apgar score, and hypoglycemia were greater among small for gestational age neonates than among appropriate and large for gestational age infants (odds ratios 3.08, 2.51, and 3.17, respectively). CONCLUSION: Among women with gestational diabetes mellitus who are receiving intensive therapy, perinatal outcome is worse for small for gestational age neonates than for appropriate and large for gestational age neonates.

Adams-Oliver syndrome with unusual central nervous system alterations.

The association of aplasia cutis congenita of the scalp with distal malformations of the limbs is known as Adams-Oliver syndrome. Other reported associations include palatine or auricular malformations, cardiovascular alterations, and spina bifida. Multiple hereditary patterns have been described for this condition, and sporadic cases have also been reported. We report an infant with Adams-Oliver syndrome associated with intracranial calcifications in whom no evidence of intrauterine infection could be demonstrated.

Does preconceptional counselling in diabetic women influence perinatal outcome?

We aimed to assess the impact of a preconceptional clinic (PC) on the perinatal outcome (PO) of diabetic pregnancies attended in our centre. We studied 185 pregnancies attended in the 1986-1996 period (152 in women with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) and 33 with non insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)) and we analysed the perinatal outcome for both mother and fetus. Sixty-six women (36.1%) had enrolled in the PC, 41.4% for IDDM and 9.1% for NIDDM pregnancies, p < 0.01. First pregnancy HbA1c (in SD around the mean) was 3.98 +/- 3.00 in non-attenders (NA) vs 2.57 +/- 2.41 in attenders (A), p < 0.01. The final HbA1c was in the normal range in both groups. D-R class according to White classification was 33.0% for NA vs 54.5% for A, p < 0.01. There were no differences in the rates of abortion and major malformations (8.8% NA vs 3.6% A, ns). Both groups differed in the rate of cesarean sections (54.9% NA vs 71.0% A, p < 0.05) and in the rate of small for gestational age infants (SGA) (8.7% NA vs 1.8% A, p < 0.05). There were no differences between groups in maternal or neonatal outcomes. In this group of diabetic women with a moderate although less than optimal metabolic control at the beginning of pregnancy, the impact of PC on PO is less evident than described.

Perinatal hypoxic-ischaemic syndrome. Diagnostic and prognostic value of computed tomography.

Sixty-two full-term neonates with hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy were studied. Computed tomography (CT) was performed during the first week of life and the clinical and radiologic findings were correlated. In 57 cases (92%) CT was abnormal. Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) was present in 53 cases, oedema in 23 cases and other lesions in 7 cases. Twenty-two cases had associated SAH and oedema. It was concluded that SAH and/or oedema has a good prognosis. When neurologic involvement is severe and CT shows signs of necrosis, the prognosis is less favourable.