Glucose and insulin levels in young subjects with different maternal histories of hypertension: the Hypertension in Pregnancy Offspring Study.
OBJECTIVE
To analyse whether hypertension during pregnancy is associated with early signs of impaired glucose metabolism in the offspring.


METHODS
Longitudinal study with a 5-year follow-up.


METHODS
University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.


METHODS
Fasting levels of glucose, insulin and C-peptide.


METHODS
Thirty-six children were born to mothers with hypertension in pregnancy. The children were divided into two groups according to their mothers' blood pressure at follow-up 7-12 years after pregnancy. Nineteen children had hypertensive mothers (HT), while 17 children had normotensive mothers at follow-up (NT). A control group (C) comprised 16 children, who were born after normotensive pregnancies to mothers who remained normotensive.


RESULTS
Fasting plasma glucose was significantly higher in HT than in NT (5.2 vs. 4.9 mmol L-1; P < 0.05). In C fasting glucose was 5.1 mmol L-1. The same trend was seen for fasting insulin in HT. NT and C, respectively (6.7 vs. 4.7 vs. 5.3 microU mL-1). The C-peptide level was 1.61, 155 and 1.64 ng mL-1, respectively. Calculated insulin resistance was 1.5 in HT. 1.0 in NT and 1.2 in C.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that hypertension during pregnancy may be associated with impaired glucose metabolism and elevated fasting glucose levels in the offspring during adolescence.
Himmelmann
A
A
Department of Medicine, Ostra University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Himmelmann
K
K
Svensson
A
A
Hansson
L
L
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking; D009035:Mothers; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin