[Association of neonatal polydactyly and maternal glucose tolerance impairment in the Congolese environment]

To determine the expression of neonatal polydactyly in Kinshasa along with its association with maternal glucose tolerance impairment.

The study group is made of 151 non diabetic women whose neonates had polydactyly (isolated in 115 cases and associated with other malformations in 36 cases). The control group was made up of mothers with normal infants, 151 who had no history of congenital malformations and 39 others with a history of polydactyly in the family. The mothers had an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) within 24 hours after delivery.

Bilateral type B postaxial Hand polydactyly was the most frequent form (42.3% of cases). Polydactyly was associated with other congenital malformations in 23.1%. In the study group, carbohydrate intolerance was observed in 24.3% when polydactyly was isolated, and 44.4% when it was associated with other congenital malformations. In the control group the frequency of carbohydrate intolerance was 1.9%. The positive predictive value of carbohydrate intolerance by Bilateral type B Hand polydactyly was 80.6%, while the negative predictive value was 70.1%.

These results suggest a carbohydrate intolerance during the peri-conceptional period. An OGTT can be recommended for mothers whose newborns have Bilateral type B Hand polydactyly.