Validation of the clinical efficacy of one-day outpatient management of patients with gestational diabetes mellitus.

Objective: A comprehensive management model called the one-day care clinic has been established and implemented throughout the hospitals as well as maternal and child health care centers for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in China. However, there is still a lack of high-level evidence for this management model. The objective of this study was to describe the one-day outpatient management model and assess its efficacy in managing GDM.

Methods: A retrospective review was performed on patients who were admitted to the obstetrics clinic and diagnosed as GDM at our centers from July 2017 to June 2022. All enrolled patients were divided into two groups: the experimental group that participated in the one-day outpatient management and the control group that only received routine education on gestational diabetes in the outpatient department. Baseline characteristics and clinical data of enrolled patients were reviewed. Blood glucose level before and after attending one-day outpatient management, blood glucose and HbA1c before delivery, weight gain at the end of pregnancy, complications during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes were collected.

Results: A total of 546 patients were finally included in this study, with 276 in the experimental group and 270 in the control group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of baseline characteristics. The 1h postprandial blood glucose (PBG) and 2h PBG levels were significantly lower after participating in the one-day outpatient management compared to before (all value < 0.01). Before delivery, the FBG, 2hPBG, and HbA1c levels in the experimental group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all value < 0.01). The experimental group experienced less weight gain and had a higher rate of achieving weight gain goals compared to the control group. In terms of complications during pregnancy, the incidence of premature rupture of fetal membranes, pregnancy induced hypertension, and hydramnion did not differ significantly between the two groups. In terms of pregnancy outcomes, the incidence of macrosomia and neonatal hypoglycemia in the experimental group was significantly lower than in the control group (all value < 0.05).

Conclusion: The adoption of the one-day outpatient management is more beneficial for controlling blood glucose levels and weight target during pregnancy in GDM patients. Additionally, this management can decrease the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, and improve the prognosis of both GDM patients and offspring.