This is a nested multicenter prospective cohort conducted concurrently and in conjunction with the DECIDE two-arm, pragmatic non-inferiority comparative effectiveness Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) (NCT06445946) of metformin versus insulin among individuals with Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requiring pharmacotherapy for glycemic control. Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM)-derived glycemic metric in pregnancy and postpartum will be compared between individuals randomized to metformin versus insulin. In addition, the association between CGM metrics and adverse pregnancy outcomes will be examined. Finally, whether CGM metrics can accurately identify diabetes postpartum compared with an oral glucose tolerance test and hemoglobin A1c will be determined. A total of 300 (150 metformin, 150 insulin) pregnant individuals will be recruited with GDM who require pharmacotherapy to use a blinded CGM device (Dexcom, Inc, San Diego, CA) at two pregnancy (medication randomization, late third trimester) and three postpartum timepoints (delivery, \~6 weeks, and \~2 years).
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is the most frequent metabolic complication of pregnancy, and affects nearly 1 in 10 pregnant individuals in the U.S. annually. GDM increases the risks of both adverse pregnancy and postpartum outcomes for the affected individual and exposed offspring. Following a diagnosis of GDM, individuals are instructed to achieve glycemic control to decrease the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes through monitoring of blood glucose, dietary modifications, and increased physical activity. However, \>1 in 4 individuals with GDM will not achieve targeted glycemic control with diet and behavior changes alone, and require pharmacotherapy. This is a multicenter prospective observational cohort nested in the DECIDE randomized controlled trial (NCT06445946). DECIDE is a two-arm, pragmatic non-inferiority comparative effectiveness RCT of metformin versus insulin to prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes and to confirm postpartum safety among individuals with GDM who require pharmacotherapy to achieve glycemic control. This trial will determine whether metformin is not inferior to insulin in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes and is comparably safe for exposed pregnant individuals and their children. This substudy will be conducted concurrently and in conjunction with the parent study. A subset of 300 individuals (150 metformin, 150 insulin) will be enrolled in this substudy from the 1,572 individuals from the parent trial. Primary aim: To compare CGM-derived glycemic profiles (primary outcome: time in range of 63 to 140 mg/dL; secondary outcomes (mean glucose, coefficient of variation, and percentage of time below the target glucose range or above the target glucose range) in pregnancy between individuals with GDM randomized to metformin versus insulin. Secondary aims: To examine the association between CGM metrics and adverse pregnancy outcomes (large-for-gestational-age at birth, neonatal hypoglycemia, and hyperbilirubinemia, hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, preterm birth \<37 weeks, NICU admission, neonatal mechanical ventilation, neonatal oxygen support, neonatal respiratory distress syndrome). To examine whether CGM metrics can identify diabetes and postpartum cardiometabolic outcomes (prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, impaired fasting glucose, hypertension, obesity, and cholesterol abnormalities) compared with an oral glucose tolerance test or hemoglobin A1c.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Individuals randomized to metformin will be provided with a CGM device (Dexcom, Inc, San Diego, CA) to be worn for up to 10 days (minimum \>5 days) at two pregnancy (randomization to metformin or insulin, late third trimester \> 340/7 weeks) and three postpartum timepoints (immediately after delivery, \~6 weeks, and \~2 years).
Individuals randomized to insulin will be provided with a CGM device (Dexcom, Inc, San Diego, CA) to be worn for up to 10 days (minimum \>5 days) at two pregnancy (randomization to metformin or insulin, late third trimester \> 340/7 weeks) and three postpartum timepoints (immediately after delivery, \~6 weeks, and \~2 years).
University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center OB/GYN Maternal and Fetal Medicine
Columbus, Ohio, United States
Premier Health - Miami Valley Hospital
Dayton, Ohio, United States
Time in range (TIR)
Percent of time CGM readings are within the pregnancy target glucose range of 63 to 140 mg/dL. This outcome will be assessed as a continuous measure in increments of 1%.
Time frame: From medication randomization till late third trimester, up to 14 weeks
Coefficient of variation (CV)
Percent of glycemic variability calculated as the standard deviation (SD) of glucose values divided by the mean glucose in the same observation period, continuous measure
Time frame: From medication randomization till 2 years postpartum, up to 40 months.
Time below range (TBR)
Percent of CGM readings and time below the target glucose range of \<63 mg/dL, continuous measure
Time frame: From medication randomization till 2 years postpartum, up to 40 months.
Time above range (TAR)
Percent of CGM readings and time above the target glucose range of \>140 mg/dL, continuous measure
Time frame: From medication randomization till 2 years postpartum, up to 40 months.
Large-for-gestational-age at birth
LGA will be defined as a birthweight ≥90th%tile for gestational age based on a US birth certificate reference adjusted for parity and/or fetal sex.
Time frame: At delivery
Hypoglycemia
Neonatal hypoglycemia will be defined as a blood glucose \<35 mg/dL or treatment \<24 hours after birth with either IV, PO, or gel glucose therapy.
Time frame: <24 hours after birth
Hyperbilirubinemia
Neonatal hyperbilirubinemia will be defined as treated with phototherapy or exchange transfusion in the first postnatal week and either treatment in the first postnatal week or kernicterus.
Time frame: Within one week after birth
Hypertensive disorder of pregnancy
HDP will include either gestational hypertension or preeclampsia. Gestational hypertension will be defined as: systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or more or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or more on two occasions at least 4 hours apart after 20 weeks of gestation in a woman with a previously normal blood pressure. Preeclampsia will be defined as: above blood pressure criteria AND proteinuria (300 mg or more per 24 hour urine collection, protein/creatinine ratio of 0.3 mg/dL or more, or dipstick reading of 2+) OR thrombocytopenia (platelet count less than 100 109/L), renal insufficiency (serum creatinine greater than 1.1 mg/dL or a doubling of the serum creatinine concentration in the absence of other renal disease), impaired liver function (elevated blood concentrations of liver transaminases to twice normal concentration), pulmonary edema, new-onset headache or visual symptoms not attributed to other diagnoses.
Time frame: Randomization to delivery
Preterm birth
Preterm birth \<37 weeks and \<34 weeks based on project gestational age.
Time frame: At birth
Requiring mechanical ventilation
Intubation, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) for ventilation or cardiopulmonary resuscitation within first 72 hours of birth.
Time frame: <72 hours after birth
NICU admission
Admitted to NICU or intermediate nursery ≥72 hours, any indication.
Time frame: Birth to infant date of delivery discharge (length of NICU admission will vary for each infant )
Oxygen support
Requiring oxygen support.
Time frame: <72 hours after birth
Respiratory distress syndrome
Signs of respiratory distress with oxygen requirement and confirmed by chest x-ray.
Time frame: Anytime during the first 72 hours after birth
Treatment supplementation
Insulin use among individuals randomized to metformin between randomization and delivery.
Time frame: From randomization to delivery
Type 2 diabetes (T2D)
A1c \> 6.5% OR fasting plasma glucose \> 126 mg/dL OR OGTT \> 200 mg/dL OR prior diagnosis per patient report.
Time frame: From delivery to 2 years postpartum
Prediabetes
A1c 5.7% to 6.4% OR fasting plasma glucose 100 mg/dl to 125 mg/dL OR OGTT 140 to 199 mg/dL.
Time frame: From delivery to 2 years postpartum
Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT)
OGTT 2-hour value of 140 to 199 mg/dL32
Time frame: From delivery to 2 years postpartum
Impaired fasting glucose (IFG)
OGTT value of 100 to 125 mg/dL.
Time frame: From delivery to 2 years postpartum.
Obesity overall and by class
Weight and height will be combined to report BMI in kg/m\^2. BMI per the following classifications will be assessed: Normal or underweight: \< 25 kg/m2; Overweight: 25 to \< 30 kg/m2; Class 1: 30 to \< 35 kg/m2; Class 2: 35 to \< 40 kg/m2; and Class 3: 40 kg/m2 or greater.
Time frame: 2 years postpartum
Hypertension
Per American Heart Association criteria as below and/or antihypertensive medication or prior diagnosis per patient report, and defined as: Elevated: Systolic between 120-129 and diastolic less than 80 mm Hg; Stage 1: Systolic between 130-139 or diastolic between 80-89 mm Hg; and Stage 2: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg.
Time frame: 2 years postpartum
Cholesterol
Fasting state, defined as a continuous measure and dichotomous at the following thresholds for each component: Total cholesterol: \> 200 mg/dL; LDL cholesterol: \> mg/dL; HDL cholesterol: \< 40 mg/dL; Triglycerides: \> 200 mg/dL.
Time frame: 2 years postpartum
Mean glucose
Mean glucose in mg/dL per CGM readings, continuous measure
Time frame: From medication randomization till 2 years postpartum, up to 40 months.
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