title: Ultrasound-guided compared to conventional treatment in gestational diabetes leads to improved birthweight but more insulin treatment: systematic review and meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials assessing ultrasound-guided versus conventional management in women with a broad severity-spectrum of gestational diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic review and meta-analysis of trials published until August 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  PubMed and Web of Science databases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen studies were reviewed in full text. Eligibility criteria were (i) randomized controlled trials comparing metabolic management in women with gestational diabetes mellitus and ultrasound-based vs. the conventional management to assess fetal growth, (ii) representative of the whole spectrum of hyperglycemia and fetal growth, (iii) data on perinatal outcomes. Review Manager 5.0 was used to summarize the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Two studies fulfilled inclusion criteria. The ultrasound-guided group had a lower rate of large-for-gestational age newborns (relative risk 0.58, 95% confidence interval 0.34-0.99), macrosomia (relative risk 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.11-0.95) and abnormal birthweight (small/large-for-gestational age, relative risk 0.64, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.93) and a higher rate of insulin treatment (relative risk 1.58, 95% confidence interval 1.14-2.20). The number of women with gestational diabetes with a need to treat to prevent an additional newborn with abnormal birthweight was 10.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In women with a broad severity-spectrum of gestational diabetes mellitus, ultrasound-guided management improves birthweight distribution, but increases the need for insulin treatment. More research is needed in this area because results are derived from a limited number of patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Mútua de Terrassa Hospital, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Montserrat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Balsells
authors.forename: Apolonia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Patterson
authors.forename: Ignasi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gich
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Corcoy
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000502:physiology; D005320:Fetal Macrosomia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin
keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus; insulin therapy; meta-analysis; randomized control trial; systematic review; ultrasound