Global Health Action
Volume 7, Issue 1, 2014

Gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence in Maela refugee camp on the Thai-Myanmar border: A clinical report (Article) (Open Access)

Gilder M.E.* , Zin T.W. , Wai N.S. , Ner M. , Say P.S. , Htoo M. , Say S. , Htay W.W. , Simpson J.A. , Pukrittayakamee S. , Nosten F. , McGready R.
  • a Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • b Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • c Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • d Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • e Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • f Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • g Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • h Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand
  • i Centre for Molecular, Environmental, Genetic and Analytic Epidemiology, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia
  • j Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
  • k Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand, Nufeld Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
  • l Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mae Sot, Thailand, Nufeld Department of Medicine, Centre for Tropical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom

Abstract

Background: Individuals in conflict-affected areas rarely get appropriate care for chronic or non-infectious diseases. The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide, and new evidence shows conclusively that the negative effects of hyperglycemia occur even at mild glucose elevations and that these negative effects can be attenuated by treatment. Scientific literature on gestational diabetes in refugee camp settings is critically limited. Methods: A 75 g 2-hour glucose tolerance test was administered to 228 women attending the antenatal care (ANC) clinic in Maela refugee camp on the Thai-Myanmar border. Prevalence of GDM was determined using the HAPO trial cut-offs [≥92 mg/dL (fasting),≥180 (1 hour), and≥153 (2 hour)] and the WHO criteria [≥126 mg/dL (fasting), and 140 mg/dL (2 hour)]. Results: From July 2011 to March 2012, the prevalence of GDM was 10.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 6.2-14.0] when the cut-offdetermined by the HAPO trial was applied. Applying the older WHO criteria yielded a prevalence of 6.6% (95% CI 3.3-9.8). Age, parity, and BMI emerged as characteristics that may be significantly associated with GDM in this population. Other risk factors that are commonly used in screening guidelines were not applicable in this diabetes-nai{dotless} ̈ve population. Discussion: The prevalence of GDM is lower in this population compared with other populations, but still complicates 10% of pregnancies. New evidence regarding gestational diabetes raises new dilemmas for health- care providers in resource-poor settings. Efforts to identify and treat patients at risk for adverse outcomes need to be balanced with awareness of the risks and burdens associated with over diagnosis and unnecessary interventions. Screening approaches based on risk factors or using higher cut-offvalues may help minimize this burden and identify those most likely to benefit from intervention.

Author Keywords

Prevalence Refugee gestational diabetes mellitus Myanmar

Index Keywords

refugee Thailand human Refugees middle aged statistics Young Adult Humans Adolescent female pregnancy Myanmar prevalence Glucose Tolerance Test Article adult gestational diabetes mellitus Diabetes, Gestational pregnancy diabetes mellitus
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84904300755&doi=10.3402%2fgha.v7.23887&partnerID=40&md5=8cfd4ecd4a5deeeb1db0cf77c097ee01
DOI: 10.3402/gha.v7.23887
ISSN: 16549880
Cited by: 11
Original Language: English