Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus: comparison of a glucose polymer and a glucose monomer test beverage

The current test for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) uses a glucose monomer test beverage, which frequently causes gastrointestinal symptoms, and venipuncture. We investigated a simplified test using a beverage of glucose polymer and a capillary whole blood glucose measurement.

In a randomized, double-blind clinical trial, women at 24 to 28 weeks' gestation received a 50-g glucose monomer (n = 41) or glucose polymer (n = 35) beverage. Venous and capillary blood samples were obtained 1 hour later. The women then completed standardized questionnaires about their symptoms.

The glucose polymer beverage was associated with significantly fewer symptoms than was the glucose monomer drink: the mean was 1.1 symptoms per test with the glucose monomer drink and 0.4 symptoms per test with the glucose polymer drink (P less than 0.05), 51 percent of the women developed symptoms after drinking the glucose monomer beverage, and 27 percent of the women developed symptoms after drinking the glucose polymer beverage (P less than 0.05). Glucose type did not affect the 1-hour plasma glucose level, mean 5.94 mmol/L (107 mg/dL) for the glucose monomer and 5.76 mmol/L (103.8 mg/dL) for the glucose polymer (P = 0.79). For the capillary test, sensitivity was 0.75 and specificity was 0.82 in detecting a screening test positive by the venous plasma glucose criterion.

The results of this study indicate that a glucose polymer beverage is better tolerated than a glucose monomer beverage during GDM screening, but capillary glucose measurement might be of limited use in clinics where many personnel perform the capillary blood glucose testing.