J Clin Gynecol Obstet

Journal of Clinical Gynecology and Obstetrics, ISSN 1927-1271 print, 1927-128X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Gynecol Obstet and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://jcgo.elmerpub.com

Original Article

Volume 15, Number 1, March 2026, pages 24-29

The Relationship Between Branched-Chain Amino Acid Levels and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Low-Risk Pregnant Women

↓ Figure 1. The ROC curve of postprandial valine, fasting leucine, postprandial leucine, fasting isoleucine, and postprandial isoleucine values for gestational diabetes mellitus. ROC: receiver operating characteristic.

↓ **Table 1.** Comparison of the Sociodemographic Characteristics Between Groups
	GDM, n (%)	Control, n (%)	P^a
^aChi-square analysis was applied. GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.
Education level			0.323
Primary school	7 (12.7)	2 (3.6)
Middle school	2 (3.6)	4 (7.3)
High school	26 (47.3)	26 (47.3)
University	20 (36.4)	23 (41.8)
Profession			0.158
Works	15 (27.3)	22 (40.0)
Housewife	40 (72.7)	33 (60.0)
Surgical history			0.140
Yes	9 (16.4)	4 (7.3)
No	46 (83.6)	51 (92.7)
Smoker			0.541
Yes	5 (9.1)	7 (12.7)
No	50 (90.9)	48 (87.3)
Pregnancy week			0.614
24	5 (9.1)	8 (14.5)
25	15 (27.3)	18 (32.7)
26	10 (18.2)	12 (21.8)
27	16 (29.1)	11 (20.0)
28	9 (16.4)	6 (10.9)

↓ Table 1. Comparison of the Sociodemographic Characteristics Between Groups

GDM, n (%)

Control, n (%)

P^a

^aChi-square analysis was applied. GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.

Education level

0.323

Primary school

7 (12.7)

2 (3.6)

Middle school

2 (3.6)

4 (7.3)

High school

26 (47.3)

University

20 (36.4)

23 (41.8)

Profession

0.158

Works

15 (27.3)

22 (40.0)

Housewife

40 (72.7)

33 (60.0)

Surgical history

0.140

Yes

9 (16.4)

4 (7.3)

46 (83.6)

51 (92.7)

Smoker

0.541

Yes

5 (9.1)

7 (12.7)

50 (90.9)

48 (87.3)

Pregnancy week

0.614

5 (9.1)

8 (14.5)

15 (27.3)

18 (32.7)

10 (18.2)

12 (21.8)

16 (29.1)

11 (20.0)

9 (16.4)

6 (10.9)

↓ **Table 2.** Comparison of the Anthropometric Characteristics Between Groups
	GDM, median	Control, median	P
^aStudent’s t-test was applied. ^bMann-Whitney U test was applied. BMI: body mass index; GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.
Age	28.3 ± 4.3	27.6 ± 5.3	0.494^a
Pre-pregnancy weight	60.2 ± 9.6	61.2 ± 10.5	0.601^a
Weight during test	68.0 ± 8.6	67.7 ± 8.7	0.838^a
Height	161.6 ± 5.9	162.5 ± 5.2	0.745^b
BMI	26.0 ± 2.6	25.6 ± 2.8	0.568^b

↓ Table 2. Comparison of the Anthropometric Characteristics Between Groups

GDM, median

Control, median

^aStudent’s t-test was applied. ^bMann-Whitney U test was applied. BMI: body mass index; GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.

Age

28.3 ± 4.3

27.6 ± 5.3

0.494^a

Pre-pregnancy weight

60.2 ± 9.6

61.2 ± 10.5

0.601^a

Weight during test

68.0 ± 8.6

67.7 ± 8.7

0.838^a

Height

161.6 ± 5.9

162.5 ± 5.2

0.745^b

BMI

26.0 ± 2.6

25.6 ± 2.8

0.568^b

↓ **Table 3.** Comparison of Fasting and Postprandial Amino Acid Values Between Groups
	GDM, median (µmol/L)	Control, median (µmol/L)	P
^aStudent’s t-test was applied. ^bMann-Whitney U test was applied. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant, indicating that the observed differences were unlikely to have occurred by chance. GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.
Fasting valine	154.6 ± 28.7	154.7 ± 32.3	0.990^a
Postprandial valine	168.5 ± 46.8	138.5 ± 35.9	0.001^b
Fasting leucine	82.9 ± 16.1	67.4 ± 18.7	< 0.001^a
Postprandial leucine	95.3 ± 34.2	57.7 ± 21.4	< 0.001^b
Fasting isoleucine	44.5 ± 9.7	37.7 ± 13.6	0.003^a
Postprandial isoleucine	51.8 ± 19.2	34.6 ± 28.0	< 0.001^b

↓ Table 3. Comparison of Fasting and Postprandial Amino Acid Values Between Groups

GDM, median (µmol/L)

Control, median (µmol/L)

^aStudent’s t-test was applied. ^bMann-Whitney U test was applied. A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant, indicating that the observed differences were unlikely to have occurred by chance. GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus.

Fasting valine

154.6 ± 28.7

154.7 ± 32.3

0.990^a

Postprandial valine

168.5 ± 46.8

138.5 ± 35.9

0.001^b

Fasting leucine

82.9 ± 16.1

67.4 ± 18.7

< 0.001^a

Postprandial leucine

95.3 ± 34.2

57.7 ± 21.4

< 0.001^b

Fasting isoleucine

44.5 ± 9.7

37.7 ± 13.6

0.003^a

Postprandial isoleucine

51.8 ± 19.2

34.6 ± 28.0

< 0.001^b

↓ **Table 4.** Specificity and Sensitivity of Amino Acids in Determining the Diagnosis of GDM
	Area	P	95% CI	Sensitivity	Specificity	PPV	NPV
A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant, indicating that the observed differences were unlikely to have occurred by chance. CI: confidence interval; GA: glycine alanine; GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus; NPV: negative predictive value; PPV: positive predictive value.
Fasting valine ≤ 117.54	0.503	0.962	0.406–0.599	5.5	83.6	25	46.9
Postprandial valine > 138.64	0.691	< 0.001	0.596–0.776	76.4	58.2	64.6	71.1
Fasting leucine > 61.18	0.743	< 0.001	0.651–0.821	94.5	52.7	66.7	90.6
Postprandial leucine > 74.91	0.836	< 0.001	0.753–0.899	74.5	80	78.8	75.9
Fasting isoleucine > 36.32	0.682	0.001	0.587–0.768	87.3	58.2	67.6	82.1
Postprandial isoleucine > 37.95	0.799	< 0.001	0.712–0.870	80	69.1	72.1	77.6

↓ Table 4. Specificity and Sensitivity of Amino Acids in Determining the Diagnosis of GDM

Area

95% CI

Sensitivity

Specificity

PPV

NPV

A P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant, indicating that the observed differences were unlikely to have occurred by chance. CI: confidence interval; GA: glycine alanine; GDM: gestational diabetes mellitus; NPV: negative predictive value; PPV: positive predictive value.

Fasting valine ≤ 117.54

0.503

0.962

0.406–0.599

5.5

83.6

46.9

Postprandial valine > 138.64

0.691

< 0.001

0.596–0.776

76.4

58.2

64.6

71.1

Fasting leucine > 61.18

0.743

< 0.001

0.651–0.821

94.5

52.7

66.7

90.6

Postprandial leucine > 74.91

0.836

< 0.001

0.753–0.899

74.5

78.8

75.9

Fasting isoleucine > 36.32

0.682

0.001

0.587–0.768

87.3

58.2

67.6

82.1

Postprandial isoleucine > 37.95

0.799

< 0.001

0.712–0.870

69.1

72.1

77.6