The role of fetal adipose tissue thicknesses measured ultrasonographically in the prediction of gestational diabetes

Abstract

AIM This study aims to investigate whether second-trimester fetal adipose tissue components reflect glycemic control in diabetic pregnancies and their role as an auxiliary method in predicting gestational diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS This study was designed prospectively, cross-sectionally in 300 pregnant women 24-28 weeks of gestation between April 2020 and July 2020. The adipose tissue thickness of the humerus, femur, scapula, and abdominal circumference was examined by transabdominal ultrasound. The age, body mass index, family history of diabetes, and diabetes history in previous pregnancies of the groups were questioned. RESULTS The anterior abdominal wall adipose tissue thickness of the fetuses we included in the study was 5 ± 0.8 mm, femur adipose tissue thickness was 4 ± 0.7 mm, humerus adipose tissue thickness was 3.7 ± 0.7 mm, scapula adipose tissue thickness was 4.1 ± 2,2 mm. The total adipose tissue thickness was 16.9 ± 2.9 mm. A statistically significant correlation was found between femoral adipose tissue thickness (p = 0.001) and humeral adipose tissue thickness (p = 0.023) in gestational diabetes groups. Patients with a diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (n = 60) constituted the first group, patients without GDM (n =240) constituted the second group. In our independent analysis of two groups, femur and humerus adipose tissue thickness were found to be statistically significantly different between both groups (p= 0.002, p = 0.043, respectively). Other parameters did not differ significantly between groups. Between three groups (healthy, impaired glucose tolerance, and gestational diabetes groups). Femoral adipose tissue thickness was statistically significant among the three groups (p = 0.005). As a result of binary logistic regression, if the femoral adipose tissue thickness was above 4.1 mm, the possibility of developing GDM was observed with 63.8% sensitivity and 65% specificity. CONCLUSION In the prediction of gestational diabetes, fetus femoral adipose tissue thickness may be significant