Lipid profile and clinical characteristics of women with gestational diabetes mellitus and preeclampsia

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and other maternal and foetal complications of pregnancy. The aims of the study were to evaluate the serum lipid profile of women with GDM, and determine the number of women with GDM who have preeclampsia (PE). A retrospective study of 84 women with GDM and 90 pregnant women with nor mal glucose tolerance (controls) was conducted. Women with GDM had significantly higher parity (p=0.047), total cholesterol (p=0.039) and triglycerides (p=0.033), but non-significantly lower HDL-cholesterol (p=0.086) when compared to controls. Systolic blood pressure was significantly elevated in women with GDM coupled with PE (GDM-PE; p=0.015), the mean birth weight of infants born to women with GDM-PE was significantly lower than that of women with only GDM (p=0.025). Women with GDM-PE had significantly higher triglycerides (p=0.020), had to be more multi-gravida (p=0.047) with significantly elevated VLDL-cholesterol (p=0.037) when compared with women with only GDM. 11.9% of women with GDM had PE. On the basis of these findings, it can be concluded that GDM is associated with hyperlipidaemia as evident by the significantly elevated total cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations. Women with dyslipidaemia and GDM are at risk of developing preeclampsia. It is imperative that blood lipids be evaluated in women with GDM during antenatal care as it would be helpful in the early detection and treatment of PE.

Keywords

• gestational diabetes mellitus
• preeclampsia
• glucose
• lipids
• prevalence