title: Hyperinsulinemia increases the risk of gestational hypertension.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether hyperinsulinemia is related to gestational hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured the arterial blood pressure and the level of immunoreactive insulin (IRI) during a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test in a total of 84 pregnant women. Hyperinsulinemia was defined as a fasting IRI level > or = 9 IU/l, while gestational hypertension was defined as arterial blood pressure > or = 140/90 mmHg.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The incidence of gestational hypertension was higher in the hyperinsulinemic group (n = 29) than in the control group (n = 55) (24.1% vs. 7.3%, respectively P < 0.05). After controlling for maternal age, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index and the gestational age at the time of oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), using a multiple regression model, the relative risk of developing gestational hypertension for a fasting insulin level was 1.19 (95% C.I., 1.03-1.38).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnant women with hyperinsulinemia are at increased risk of developing gestational hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nagasaki University School of Medicine, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamasaki
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Yasuhi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirai
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Masuzaki
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ishimaru
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006946:Hyperinsulinism / Q000150:complications*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011446:Prospective Studies