Neck circumference might predict gestational diabetes mellitus in Han Chinese women: A nested case–control study

Abstract

Aims/IntroductionA large neck circumference might be an indicator of metabolic syndrome and its components, and for certain patients is more practical as an index than waist circumference. The demarcation value for neck circumference that suggests metabolic syndrome appears to vary by ethnic group. Gestational diabetes mellitus is considered a component of metabolic syndrome in pregnant women. We investigated whether neck circumference in Han Chinese women is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus in early pregnancy, and determined a predictive demarcation value.Materials and MethodsA nested case–control study was carried out with 255 women aged 18–35 years. Gestational diabetes mellitus was diagnosed according to the criteria of the American Diabetes Association through a 2‐h, 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test.ResultsOf the total population, 41 (16%) women developed gestational diabetes mellitus by 24–28 weeks of gestation. Neck circumference at gestational week 16 positively correlated with pre‐pregnancy waist circumference, bodyweight and body mass index, and maternal age (P = 0.029) and hemoglobin A1c at gestational week 24 (P ≤ 0.001). By binary logistic regression, neck circumference was an independent predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio 1.840, 95% confidence interval 1.040–3.254; P = 0.036). According to the receiver operating characteristic curve, for predicting gestational diabetes mellitus the optimal demarcation for neck circumference at gestational week 16 was 35.15 cm.ConclusionsNeck circumference is a viable tool to screen for gestational diabetes mellitus. In this population of pregnant Han Chinese women, a neck circumference of ≥35.15 cm was a predictor of gestational diabetes mellitus.

The Relationship Between Neck Circumference and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Iranian Pregnant Women

“…In contrast to the results of two previous studies on Chinese women [28,29] and a study on women from Pakistan [30], we found that the calculated cut-point of neck circumference, for predicting of gestational diabetes mellitus, was lower, with varying sensitivity and speci city values. A possible explanation for this discrepancy may be the sample size, the design of the study, and ethnicity.…”

“…We also found that neck circumference was positively correlated with all risk factors of gestational diabetes among pregnant women, which was in agreement with the results of previous studies [29,30].…”

“…They depicted that neck circumference predicted gestational diabetes mellitus at 16 weeks of gestation as an independent variable. Therefore, the probability risk for gestational diabetes mellitus was reported to be 1.8, which was slightly higher than that of our study [29].…”

Association between neck circumference and cardiometabolic disease in Chinese adults: a community-based cross-sectional study

“…Lee and colleagues found that NC was associated with hypertension 31. He et al shown that NC is a tool for screening gestational diabetes mellitus 32. Those results, combined with our findings, shown that there were positive associations between NC and risks of hypertension, decreased HDL levels, high TG levels and diabetes.…”

Risk factors for hyperglycemia in pregnancy in the DALI study differ by period of pregnancy and OGTT time point

“…Central adiposity and specifically NC has been reported to confer additional risk for AGT beyond BMI both in (20) and outside pregnancy (10). In the UPBEAT trial, neck/ thigh ratio superseded BMI, as an independent variable for GDM at 27-28 weeks (21).…”