Endocrine Abstracts

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a clinical condition which is ideal for evaluating short-term effects of impaired glucose metabolism, ruling out the possibility that the platelet abnormalities are a consequence of diabetic complications.

The aim of this study was to measure the velocity of platelet disaggregation and the activation of the platelet second messengers cGMP and cAMP by sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and ATP, respectively, in vitro in pregnant women with GDM.

Materials and methods: We compared 12 pregnant women with GDM (24.68±5.12 years and gestational age (24–26 weeks)), and 10 healthy pregnant women (23.96±5.18 years). There were no significant differences in fasting glycaemia (5.38±0.41 mmol/ l for GDM and 4.61±0.17 mmol/ l for healthy pregnant women) or in HBA1C levels (6.78±0.21 vs. 5.83±0.61%) The study was performed in accordance with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki as revised in 1996. Platelet disaggregation was determined by light transmission using an AP 2110 computerized analyzer of platelet aggregation (SOLAR, Belarus). Concentrations of cAMP and cGMP were determined radioimmunologically with a γ-counter (LKB_Wallac, Finland). Addition of SNP (400 μmol/l) or ATP (200 μmol/l) to platelets preaggregated with ADP (1.5 μmol/l) induces platelet disaggregation.

Results: The velocity of SNP-induced disaggregation at the pregnant women with GDM was higher than in control group in 1,8 times, however differences between groups of cGMP levels were inappreciable (1.5±0.1 and 1.6±0.1 pmol per 10⁹ platelets accordingly). There was no significant difference between ATP-induced disaggregation and cAMP levels in pregnant women with GDM and healthy pregnant women.

We conclude that, the NP-induced platelet disaggregation in investigation groups of the donors is not linked to cGMP-signalling systems, ATP-cAMP pathways is not activated in investigation group and under activity of ADP are formed less stable platelet aggregates, than in control group.