Simple method for identification of women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in Arusha urban, Tanzania
Loading...
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
BMC Pregnancy and Childbirth
Abstract
Background: Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus in Tanzania is challenged by limited resources. Therefore,
this study aimed to develop a simple method for identification of women at risk of gestational diabetes mellitus in
Arusha urban, Tanzania.
Methods: This study used data from a cross sectional study, that was conducted between March and December
2018 in Arusha District involving 468 pregnant women who were not known to have diabetes before pregnancy.
Urine glucose was tested using urine multistics and blood glucose levels by Gluco-Plus TM and diagnosed in accord-
ance with the World Health Organization’s criteria. Anthropometrics were measured using standard procedures and
maternal characteristics were collected through face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire with structured ques-
tions. Univariate analysis assessed individual variables association with gestational diabetes mellitus where variables
with p-value of < 0.05 were included in multivariable analysis and predictors with p-value < 0.1 remained in the final
model. Each variable was scored based on its estimated coefficients and risk scores were calculated by multiplying
the corresponding coefficients by ten to get integers. The model’s performance was assessed using c-statistic. Data
were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Science TM .
Results: The risk score included body fat ≥ 38%, delivery to macrosomic babies, mid-upper arm circumfer-
ence ≥ 28 cm, and family history of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The score correctly identified 98% of women with ges-
tational diabetes with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.97 (95% CI 0.96–0.99, p < 0.001),
sensitivity of 0.98, and specificity of 0.46.
Conclusion: The developed screening tool is highly sensitive and correctly differentiates women with and without
gestational diabetes mellitus in a Tanzanian sub-population.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Risk score, Checklist, Gestational diabetes mellitus, Tanzania