d-GDM: A mobile diagnostic decision support system for gestational diabetes

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Mobile Health (mHealth)
• Diabetes Management

Background:

• Gestational diabetes (GDM) diagnosis criteria can be complex, leading to potential diagnostic errors and treatment delays.
• Accurate and timely diagnosis of GDM is crucial for maternal and fetal health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and functionality of d-GDM, a portable and convenient software for diagnosing gestational diabetes (GDM) and pre-gestational diabetes (PGDM).
• To provide healthcare professionals with a tool to improve the precision and consistency of GDM diagnostics.

Main Methods:

• Development of d-GDM as an open-source Java application for Android, utilizing the Android Studio IDE.
• Implementation of GDM diagnostic criteria endorsed by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Group, modified by the WHO.
• Field testing on 22 subjects across 5 mobile phone brands to assess user-friendliness, efficiency, and diagnostic accuracy.

Main Results:

• The d-GDM software demonstrated high user-friendliness and efficiency, with approval ratings of 95% or higher in field tests.
• In a pilot test, d-GDM achieved 100% accuracy in GDM diagnoses.
• The software provides precise and consistent diagnostic reports, available in Portuguese and English, with a downloadable mobile version and a responsive web version.

Conclusions:

• d-GDM is a user-friendly, free, mobile-based software that facilitates accurate gestational diabetes diagnosis.
• The software has the potential to significantly contribute to and simplify GDM diagnosis for healthcare professionals.
• Its accuracy and ease of use can help mitigate diagnostic errors and ensure prompt, appropriate treatment for GDM patients.