Terapêutica do diabetes mellitus gestacional com suplementação de farinha de inhame (D. Cayennensis) : um ensaio clínico randomizado

Abstract

Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is the most common metabolic problem during pregnancy and has a prevalence of 3 to 25%. Although the use of hypoglycemic drug treatments is promising, concerns remain about their long-term safety for mother and child, in addition to the fact that they alone are not controlling GDM. In this context, yam has important dietary characteristics, due to its excellent fiber content, low glycemic index and load, in addition to a variety of nutritional and functional compounds. Yam (Dioscorea spp.) and its associated extracts have been shown to have a variety of biological activities and have been identified as beneficial in controlling glycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus. General objective. The objective of the present study is to verify the impact of yam flour (IF) supplementation for glycemia control in pregnant women with GDM and, specifically, to analyze gestational biochemical exams, evaluate ultrasound parameters, birth weight, gestational age at delivery and presence of hypoglycemia at birth. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase II experimental clinical study. This study had 28 participants, 14 in the control group and 14 in the experimental group, selected in a simple randomization manner. The yam was dehydrated and crushed, and the flour obtained was placed in capsules to facilitate consumption. Participants in both groups received enough capsules for 3 weeks (21 days) of treatment, 5.8 g of yam flour or placebo (cornstarch) per day. Anthropometric and clinical assessments were applied at the beginning (T0) and at the end of three weeks of treatment (T21). Participants who received yam flour capsules during treatment had improvements in glycemic means in all capillary glycemia measurements and in glycemic peaks. There were also improvements in fetal parameters such as amniotic fluid, abdominal circumference, percentile, and birth weight. However, supplementation with yam flour capsules enhance the benefits of diet therapy, contributing to a better quality gestational course and lower fetal risks, in addition to having proven effective in the daily glycemic control of women with GDM.