title: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the Republic of Kosovo: a retrospective pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  GDM is a condition in which women without previously diagnosed diabetes exhibit high blood glucose levels during pregnancy. Pregnancy causes some insulin resistance in all women, but only a few develop GDM.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that women with GDM have impaired regulation of blood iron storage and transport, decreased renal function due to decreased glomerular filtration rate and occurrence of urinary tract infection (UTI).
  
  
  METHODS
  Incidence of blood iron storage was investigated in n=30 pregnant kosovar women with GDM after mild of pregnancy and in n=30 pregnant women without GDM (years 2010-2012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Baby weights, both systolic and diastolic BP, creatinine, albumin, lymphocytes, monocytes, WBC and granulocytes in both groups were within their normal ranges in both groups. Compared to control group, glucose was higher in women with GDM (mean +/- SD: 7.43 +/- 2.23 mg/dL vs. 4.33 +/- 0.63 mg/dL; P < 0.001). Women with GDM had also higher RBC (mean +/- SD: 4.4 +/- 0.8% vs. 3.8 +/- 0.3%; P < 0.005) and HGB (mean +/- SD: 13.0 +/- 3.2 g/dL vs. 11.2 +/- 1.4 mg/dL; P < 0.05), and decreased renal functionality (MDRD-GFR: 92.8 +/- 25.8 g/dL vs. 108.2 +/- 38.2 g/dL; P < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is a potential association between iron status and GDM. The role of iron from diet and/or from supplementation in GDM pathogenesis needs still to be examined. In addition we have observed a decrease of glomerular filtration rate in women with GDM. Due to the lack of studies on the relationships between GDM and UTI, and to the retrospective design of the present investigation, it is difficult to establish whether UTI may be a GDM causal factor or a consequence of GDM symptoms, signs and/or of its correlated pathologies.
authors: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo. armondd@hotmail.com
authors: Armond
authors: A
authors: Daci
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
authors: Brikene
authors: B
authors: Elshani
authors: Gynecological Clinic of Kosovo (Qendra Klinike Universitare e Kosovës, QKUK), University Clinical Center of Kosovo, Prishtina, Republic of Kosovo.
authors: Beretta
authors: B
authors: Giangiacomo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D015984:Causality; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006432:Hemochromatosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D063826:Kosovo; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D007501:Iron