JELLY BEANS AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO A COLA BEVERAGE CONTAINING 50 GRAMS OF GLUCOSE

OBJECTIVE: Our purpose was to test the diagnostic value and patient to lerance of jelly beans as an alternative to a 50 gm glucose solution. STUDY DESIGN: Pregnant women between 26 to 30 weeks of gestation confi rmed by early ultrasonography were recruited to participate in the stu dy. Each participant was given a cola beverage containing 50 gm of glu cose. The plasma glucose level was determined 1 hour later. Within 2 w eeks of the 50 gm glucose test, each patient ate 18 jelly beans and ha d her plasma glucose level tested after 1 hour. Finally, within 2 week s of the jelly bean test a 100 gm, 3-hour glucose tolerance test was p erformed on each subject. The results of the 3-hour test were used to define the presence or absence of gestational diabetes and carbohydrat e intolerance by the criteria of The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Patient tolerance was rated by responses to questi ons regarding side effects. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-seven women com pleted the study. The mean maternal age, gravidity, parity, and number of abortions were 26.06 years, 2.66, 0.96, and 0.69. By use of a 140 mg/dl threshold, the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of the cola beverage was 46%, 81%, and 18%. These values at a 1 20 mg/dl threshold for jelly beans were 54%, 81%, and 20%, respectivel y. The patient tolerance was greater for the jelly beans compared with the 50 gm cola beverage. CONCLUSION: Jelly beans may serve as an alte rnative to a cola beverage containing 50 gm of glucose.