Only less than one fourth women with gestational diabetes receive type 2 diabetes screening: Study

A study was conducted to estimate rates and identify determinants of post-partum glucose screening attendance in women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Retrospective cohort study using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink linked to Hospital Episode Statistics, to identify women diagnosed with GDM between 01/01/2000 and 05/11/2018. Age adjusted odds ratios (aOR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using multivariable logistic regression models.

The Results of the study are:

• In 10,868 women with GDM, with an average follow-up of 5.38 years (95% CI 5.31,5.45), there was an average of 3.79 (95% CI 3.70,3.89) screening episodes per individual, with a mean time to first screening test of 1.22 (95% CI 1.18, 1.25) years.
• South Asian women had a significantly greater likelihood of being screened compared to White women within the first 5 years post-partum, aOR: 1.89 95% CI (1.20,2.98).
• A low proportion of women received at least one test per year of follow-up (23.87%).
• Older age at GDM diagnosis, polycystic ovary syndrome, prescribed medication for GDM, and living in England, were all associated with a greater likelihood of being screened.

Thus, while the majority of women with previous GDM receive at least one glucose screening test within the first 5 years post-partum, fewer than a quarter of them receive on average one test per year of follow-up. Developing strategies to motivate more women to attend screening in primary care is essential.

Reference:

Screening for type 2 diabetes after a diagnosis of gestational diabetes by ethnicity: A retrospective cohort study by Elpida Vounzoulaki et al. published in the Primary Care Diabetes.

DOI: 10.1016/j.pcd.2022.03.008

Keywords:

Screening, type 2 diabetes, diagnosis, gestational diabetes, ethnicity, Elpida Vounzoulaki, Kamlesh Khunti, Joanne K Miksza, Bee K Tan, Melanie J Davies, Clare L Gillies, Primary Care Diabetes, Gestational diabetes mellitus; Primary health care; Screening; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; United Kingdom