Endocrine Abstracts

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the role of C-reactive protein (CRP) in gestational diabetes mellitus.

Material and methods: We studied 65 healthy pregnant women aged 29.75±5.59 years. All women referred for a 100–g oral glucose tolerance test following an abnormal result on a screening. The demographic data, waist circumference, height, and weight of the participants were recorded. Fasting levels of insulin, triglycerides (TG), CRP, fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1c were measured.

Results: Based on oral glucose tolerance testing, participants were divided into two groups: normal glucose tolerance (NGT) (n=17) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (n=48). The mean CRP level was highest in GDM group (9.67±5.57 mg/l), followed by NGT (2.56±1.73 mg/l), (P<0.0001). The mean FBG (4.98±0.51 vs 4.48±0.58 mmol/l, P<0.05), HOMA-IR (3.14±1.63 vs 1.83±0.62, P<0.05) and TG levels (1.95±0.65 vs 1.35±0.58 mmol/l, P<0.05) in the women with GDM were significantly higher than those in the NGT group.

CRP was positively correlated with first trimester pregnancy BMI (r=0.51, P<0.05), HOMA-IR (r=0.47, P<0.05), HbA1c (r=0.44, P<0.05), HOMA-IR (r=0.47, P<0.05) and FBG (r=0.41, P<0.01).

By multivariate logistic regression analysis, we showed elevated CRP levels to be independent risk factors for the development of hyperglycemia.

Conclusions: In women with GDM, there is evidence of increased CRP during the first trimester. The further evaluation will be needed to clarify this association.

The further evaluation will be needed to clarify this association.