title: Diabetic ketoacidosis in pregnancy tends to occur at lower blood glucose levels: case-control study and a case report of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis in pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The occurrence of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) during pregnancy is considered a medical emergency. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the incidence of DKA in pregnant and non-pregnant women with diabetes; to compare the blood glucose levels at the diagnosis of DKA in pregnant and non-pregnant women; and to show a case of euglycemic DKA in pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  The subjects consisted of 90 cases of DKA in pregnant women with diabetes and 286 cases of non-pregnant female inpatients receiving treatment for diabetes during 2001 to 2005 in our hospital. The incidence of DKA in pregnant and non-pregnant women with diabetes and the blood glucose levels at the diagnosis of DKA in pregnant and non-pregnant women were compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  DKA had a higher incidence in pregnant women with diabetes (8/90, 8.9%) than in non-pregnant women with diabetes (9/286, 3.1%) (P < 0.05). The blood glucose levels (mmol/L) in pregnant women with DKA were significantly lower than those in non-pregnant women with DKA (16.3 +/- 4.6 vs 27.5 +/- 4.8, P < 0.001). A case of euglycemic DKA in pregnancy was described whose serum glucose level was only 6.9 mmol/L.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DKA in pregnant women with diabetes may occur more frequently, and at lower blood glucose levels than DKA in non-pregnant women with diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zheng Zhou University, Zheng Zhou, China. tjmgrx@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Rui-Xia
authors.initials: RX
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Ling-Zhu
authors.initials: LZ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Liu-Xia
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xue-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016883:Diabetic Ketoacidosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose