title: Gestational diabetes mellitus in patients receiving long-term corticosteroid therapy during pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little data exist on the impact of chronic low dose corticosteroid therapy during pregnancy on gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared 25 pregnant women receiving long-term (>4 weeks) corticosteroid for newly diagnosed idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) (study group) and 108 normal pregnant women (control group) in this case-control study. Main outcome measures were 1-h, 50-g and 3-h, 100-g glucose tolerance tests (GTTs). Women in both groups were also screened with 75-g GTT 6 weeks after delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean duration of corticosteroid therapy was 9.8+/-4.9 (range 6-25) weeks. Compared with controls, study group patients had a greater prevalence of diagnosed GDM (24.0 vs. 2.8%, P=0.01). Of these patients, 83.3% were diagnosed with GDM at 16 weeks gestation. An impaired 75-g GTT was also more frequent in the study group (P=0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings suggest that long-term corticosteroid therapy may be associated with the development of diabetes in pregnant women and early GTT should be performed in pregnant women on corticosteroid therapy.
authors.affiliation: Aegean Obstetrics and Gynecology Training and Research Hospital, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yenisehir, Izmir, Turkey. dr.yusufyildirim@yahoo.tr
authors.forename: Yusuf
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yildirim
authors.forename: Sivekar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tinar
authors.forename: Recai Soner
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Oner
authors.forename: Baris
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Emrah
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Toz
mesh_terms: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D011247:Pregnancy; D011250:Pregnancy Complications, Hematologic / Q000188:drug therapy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016553:Purpura, Thrombocytopenic, Idiopathic / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones