title: Role of cortisol in the deterioration of glucose tolerance in Sudanese pregnant women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the state of insulin resistance which occurs in pregnancy and the possible role of cortisol in augmentation of this state.
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Khartoum teaching hospital, Khartoum north hospital, Soba hospital, Ibrahim Malek hospital, maternity hospital and Fath-Elbasheer referral centre from January to August 1996.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM) and thirty pregnant women with impaired glucose tolerance(IGT) were compared with thirty control pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The GDM and the IGT groups were found to have significantly higher levels of serum cortisol than that of the control group [937.2 +/- 79.4 nmol/l (mean +/- S.E.) and 794.2 +/- 60.5 vs 597.3 +/- 30.9 respectively, p < 0.0006].
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cortisol has a great role to play in the deterioration of glucose tolerance in pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Shalayel
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D013397:Sudan
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006854:Hydrocortisone