Endocrine Abstracts

Previous gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM) is associated with insulin resistance which is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerotic diseases. Mean platelet volume (MPV) is an indicator of platelet activation which plays a crucial role in pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

One hundred and five consecutive women with pGDM and 40 healthy women with normal previous pregnancies were included in the study. At the time of enrollment, anthropometric measurements and laboratory tests including fasting and post-load glucose levels, lipid profiles, insulin, fibrinogen and MPV were performed. Women with pGDM were classified as type-2 diabetes, IFG-IGT and normal glucose tolerance (NGT) according to 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Retrospectively, perinatal data of the subjects regarding anthropometric measurements, 100-g OGTT and MPV values during pregnancy were recorded.

Women with pGDM were found to have higher insulin resistance, more atherogenic lipid profile and increased levels of plasma fibrinogen than control subjects. MPV was not statistically different between women with pGDM and women with normal prior pregnancies. MPV was associated with fasting blood glucose levels. MPV values were tended to be increased in women with pGDM who had type-2 diabetes when compared to those who had NGT (P=0.092). In retrospective analysis, MPV at the time of screening of GDM and MPV late in third trimester were found to be significantly higher in pGDM group.

In conclusion, MPV values of women with pGDM were not statistically different from those of women with normal pregnancies. MPV tended to be increased in women with pGDM who had type-2 diabetes. During pregnancy, MPV was significantly higher in women with gestational diabetes.