Clinical value of glycosylated serum protein and glycosylated hemoglobin levels in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus.

Glycosylated serum protein and glycosylated hemoglobin levels were compared to the oral glucose tolerance test to determine their relative sensitivity in identifying women with gestational diabetes mellitus. The mean glycosylated serum protein level (0.49 +/- SD 0.07 nmol hydroxymethylfurfural per milligram protein) of 17 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance and the mean value (0.54 +/- SD 0.06 nmol hydroxymethylfurfural per milligram protein) of eight pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus were statistically different (P less than .05). However, there was such an overlap between these groups that individuals could not be categorized as normal or as having gestational diabetes mellitus on the basis of the glycosylated serum protein level. There was no difference in glycosylated hemoglobin levels between 41 women with normal glucose tolerance and 12 women with gestational diabetes mellitus. This study concluded that glycosylated serum protein and glycosylated hemoglobin determinations are not as sensitive as the glucose tolerance test in detecting gestational diabetes mellitus as it is now defined.