title: Haemostatic and cytokine changes in gestational diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Limited data indicate the existence of a hypercoagulable state and the possible involvement of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the pathogenesis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterise the coagulation inhibitor and cytokine profiles in women with GDM.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of women in the third trimester of pregnancy were studied: GDM (n = 150) and controls: women with normal pregnancy (n = 100); GDM in their first post-delivery day (n = 52). LABORATORY ASSAYS: Plasma fibrinogen, antithrombin (AT), protein C, total and free protein S, interleukins-2, 6 and 8 (IL-2, 6, 8).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During pregnancy, the only significant alterations noted were higher levels of body mass index, fibrinogen and total protein S in women with GDM when compared to normal pregnancy. In the post-delivery group, there was further elevation in the levels of plasma fibrinogen and significant drop in the level of total protein S, protein C and AT. Significant elevation of IL-2 and IL-6 levels was recorded only in post-delivery group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In GDM, the only indicator of a tendency towards hypercoagulability is the higher fibrinogen levels as compared to normal pregnancy. This feature along with the higher body mass index and presumed associated insulin resistance suggests that GDM may be a mild form of the metabolic syndrome. The lack of significant change in the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines do not support the existence of an inflammatory state in GDM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University, Riyadh 11461, Saudi Arabia. amagader@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abdel Galil M
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Abdel Gader
authors.forename: Tarig Y
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Khashoggi
authors.forename: Fawzia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Habib
authors.forename: Sitel Banat A
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Awadallah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000991:Antithrombins / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006487:Hemostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007378:Interleukins / Q000097:blood*; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011486:Protein C / Q000378:metabolism; D017293:Protein S / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000991:Antithrombins; D007378:Interleukins; D011486:Protein C; D017293:Protein S; D005340:Fibrinogen