Carbohydrate sources for gestational diabetes mellitus screening. A comparison.

One hundred eight patients were prospectively randomized to receive 50 g of a glucose polymer, d-glucose or a candy bar during a one-hour gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) screening. The polymer had a mean serum glucose similar to that of d-glucose, with significantly fewer side effects, allowing an increased rate of examination completion. The candy bar produced a significantly lower mean serum glucose but had the highest rating for flavor. The polymer was an inexpensive and well-tolerated alternative for GDM screening, while the use of a candy bar needs more study.