title: Alloxan-induced diabetes mellitus in the pregnant ewe: metabolic and cardiovascular effects on the mother and her fetus.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus was acutely produced in nine pregnant sheep by the intravenous administration of alloxan 40 mg/kg in the maternal inferior vena cava. Maternal and fetal plasma concentrations of glucose, lactate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, insulin, glucagon, and PaO2, oxygen content, and pH were determined before and at days 1, 3, and 5 after the injection of alloxan. Two animals aborted between days 1 and 3 after alloxan administration. In the other animals, significant changes occurred from baseline to day 5: maternal hyperglycemia (56.8 +/- 5.2 vs. 227.3 +/- 54.6 mg/dl; p less than 0.01), maternal hypoinsulinemia (6.2 +/- 3.5 vs. 1.0 +/- 0.4 microU/ml, p = 0.016); maternal hyperketonemia (beta-hydroxybutyrate: 0.79 +/- 0.27 vs. 4.69 +/- 2.64 mmol/L, p less than 0.01); fetal hyperglycemia (17.0 +/- 2.6 vs. 86.0 +/- 16.2 mg/dl, p less than 0.001); fetal hyperinsulinemia (8.4 +/- 4.5 vs. 19.2 +/- 6.4 microU/ml, p less than 0.001); fetal hyperketonemia (beta-hydroxybutyrate: 0.03 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.02 mmol/L, p less than 0.05); fetal hypoxemia (arterial PO2: 21.6 +/- 1.8 vs. 18.0 +/- 2.8 mm Hg, p less than 0.05, and oxygen content: 7.1 +/- 0.5 vs. 4.5 +/- 1.9 vol/dl, p less than 0.02). Thus alloxan administered in the pregnant ewe can produce major metabolic and endocrine derangements acutely simulating those occurring in human insulin-dependent diabetic pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, OH 45267-0526.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miodovnik
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mimouni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berk
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000662:veterinary; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007657:Ketone Bodies / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood / Q000662:veterinary*; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000662:veterinary*; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D007657:Ketone Bodies; D005934:Glucagon