title: Neck circumference might predict gestational diabetes mellitus in Han Chinese women: A nested case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 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.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 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.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Neck 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.
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.|Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Fang
authors: F
authors: He
authors: Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases, Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: He
authors: Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA.
authors: Wenqi
authors: W
authors: Liu
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Junyu
authors: J
authors: Lin
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Bingjun
authors: B
authors: Chen
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Yucong
authors: Y
authors: Lin
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Yitao
authors: Y
authors: Zhao
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors: Wen
authors: W
authors: Tao
authors: Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.|Key Laboratory for Major Obstetric Diseases of Guangdong Province, Guangzhou, China.|Houston Methodist Research Institute, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors: Xuefeng
authors: X
authors: Xia
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D049628:Body Size; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009333:Neck / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D012372:ROC Curve; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus; Metabolic syndrome; Neck circumference