DECIDE: A Comparative Effectiveness Trial of Metformin Versus Insulin for the Treatment of Gestational Diabetes

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common medical complications of pregnancy. Glycemic control decreases the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes for the pregnant individual with GDM and the infant exposed in utero (1). One in four individuals with GDM will require pharmacotherapy to achieve glycemic control. Insulin has been the mainstay of pharmacotherapy. Metformin is an alternative option increasingly used in clinical practice (2). Both insulin and metformin reduce the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, but comparative effectiveness data from a well-characterized, adequately powered, and diverse U.S. population remain lacking (3). Because metformin crosses the placenta, long-term safety data, in particular the risk of childhood obesity, from exposed children are also needed. In addition, the patient-reported experiences of individuals with GDM requiring pharmacotherapy remains to be characterized, including barriers for and facilitators of metformin versus insulin use.

In a two-arm open-label, pragmatic comparative effectiveness randomized controlled trial (RCT), the DECIDE Study will examine whether metformin is not inferior to insulin in reducing adverse pregnancy outcomes and is comparably safe for exposed mothers and children, and whether patient-reported factors, including facilitators of and barriers to use, differ between metformin versus insulin use. The DECIDE Study Consortium will recruit and retain 1,572 pregnant individuals with GDM who need pharmacotherapy at 20 U.S. sites to metformin versus insulin and follow them and their children through delivery and then to 2-years

Primary aim:

To evaluate whether outcomes in pregnant individuals randomized to metformin are not inferior to those in pregnant individuals randomized to insulin for the composite adverse neonatal outcome defined as large-for-gestational-age birthweight (LGA), hypoglycemia, hyperbilirubinemia, or death.

Secondary aims:

• To evaluate whether mean child body mass index (BMI) at 2 years of age is higher in the offspring of pregnant individuals randomized to metformin.
• To conduct a qualitative or mixed-methods analyses on a subgroup of participants to understand facilitators and barriers associated with metformin versus insulin use and heterogeneity of treatment effects (HTE) to facilitate evidence-based pharmacotherapy.
• To evaluate whether pregnant individuals randomized to metformin have equivalent maternal (hypertensive disorder of pregnancy, gestational weight gain, mode of delivery, and obstetric anal sphincter injuries) and neonatal (preterm birth, mechanical ventilation, NICU admission, oxygen support, and respiratory distress syndrome) outcomes.
• To evaluate whether pregnant individuals randomized to metformin have equivalent maternal (obesity, anthropometry, adiposity, diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, and metabolic profile) and child (obesity, anthropometry, and adiposity) outcomes at 2-years postpartum.
• To evaluate whether pregnant individuals randomized to metformin have equivalent patient-reported outcomes (PROs), as measured at 6 weeks postpartum and at 2 years postpartum.

Inclusion criteria

• Singleton gestation. Twin reduction to singleton, either spontaneously or therapeutically, is eligible if it occurred before 14 weeks gestational age.
• Age 18 years or older
• Gestational age at randomization between 20 0/7 - 33 6/7 weeks based on project gestational age.
• GDM diagnosis less than or equal to 33 6/7 weeks based on project gestational age.
• Requires medication for glucose control defined as ≥ 30% elevated glucose values (either fasting or postprandial or both) prior to randomization per determination of the provider or documented in the medical record.
• Patient willingness and ability to attend 2-year follow-up visit.

Exclusion criteria

• Renal disease (serum creatinine >1.3 mg/dL) due to the potential impact of metformin on renal function.
• Major structural malformation of the fetus.
• Known fetal aneuploidy based on invasive testing or positive for aneuploidy on cell-free fetal DNA screening.
• Contraindication to metformin or insulin, including: history of lactic acidosis, intractable nausea and vomiting, prior documented allergy and/or anaphylaxis.
• For individuals with GDM diagnosed <20 0/7 weeks, documented A1c ≥>6.5% within prior 6 months.
• Pregestational diabetes documented in the medical record or prior A1c>= 6.5%
• Fasting hyperglycemia >115 mg/dl for ≥ 50% of fasting glucose values in the past week (due to the high risk of metformin failure with fasting hyperglycemia).
• Enrolled in a trial that influences primary study outcomes (composite neonatal outcome at delivery or childhood body mass index at 2 years).
• Prenatal care or delivery planned at a location where access to the complete electronic medical record will not be available to research staff.
• Language barrier (appropriate translation resources unavailable at the site)
• Participation in this trial in a previous pregnancy. Patients who were screened in a previous pregnancy, but not randomized, may be included.