title: The pregnancy-induced increase of plasma angiotensin-(1-7) is blunted in gestational diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It has been shown that the circulating Renin-Angiotensin System (RAS) is activated during normal pregnancy, but little is known about RAS in pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes (GDM). GDM is considered not merely a temporary condition, but a harbinger of hypertension and type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the circulating RAS profile in normotensive women with GDM at the third trimester of pregnancy and to compare the results with healthy pregnant and non-pregnant age-matched women.
  
  
  METHODS
  The diagnostic criteria for GDM followed the recommendations of the American Diabetes Association. Angiotensin I (Ang I), Angiotensin II (Ang II) and Angiotensin 1-7 [Ang-(1-7)] were determined in 24 pregnant patients with GDM; 12 healthy pregnant women and 12 non-pregnant women by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Levels of Ang I, Ang II and Ang-(1-7) were higher in pregnant women (p<0.05), but showed a different pattern in the GDM group, in which reduced Ang-(1-7) circulating levels were found (p<0.05). This observation was confirmed by the significantly lower Ang-(1-7)/Ang I ratio (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our data suggest that reduced levels of the vasodilator Ang-(1-7) could be implicated in the endothelial dysfunction seen in gestational diabetic women during and after pregnancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Professor Alfredo Balena, 190, Santa Efigênia, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Anelise Impellizzeri
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Robson Augusto
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Souza Santos
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Simões E Silva
authors.forename: Antônio Carlos Vieira
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Cabral
authors.forename: Renata Lúcia Pereira
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Thaís Costa
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Drumond
authors.forename: Lucas José de Campos
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Machado
authors.forename: Cláudia Maria Vilas
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Freire
authors.forename: Antônio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ribeiro-Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000803:Angiotensin I / Q000097:blood*; D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011249:Pregnancy Complications, Cardiovascular / Q000097:blood; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D010446:Peptide Fragments; D000804:Angiotensin II; D000803:Angiotensin I; C118790:angiotensin I (1-7)