title: Assessment of structural cardiac abnormalities and diastolic function in women with gestational diabetes mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main manifestation of hyperglycaemia during pregnancy is gestational diabetes mellitus. It can herald diabetes mellitus type 2 and its deleterious long-term effects, such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to assess diastolic function in women with gestational diabetes mellitus, one of the first signs of future cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 21 women with gestational diabetes mellitus and 23 healthy pregnant women (control group) between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation underwent echocardiographic assessment. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus was made in agreement with the American Diabetes Association criteria. Echocardiographic images obtained were analysed according to the criteria of the American Society of Echocardiography. Data were analysed using Pearson correlation coefficient, analysis of variance and Student's t-test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Women with gestational diabetes mellitus had higher posterior wall and interventricular septum thickness, increased left ventricular mass and left ventricular mass index, lower early diastolic annular velocity and early diastolic annular velocity/late diastolic annular velocity ratio. There was a positive correlation between left ventricular mass index and fasting glucose and pregnancy body mass index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with gestational diabetes mellitus seem to have a different diastolic profile as well as a mildly dysfunctional pattern on echocardiogram, which may show a need for greater glycaemic control.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil apoliveira33@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexandra P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Iracema M P
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Calderon
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Roberto A A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Meliza G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Roscani
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Claudia G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Magalhães
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Botucatu Medical School, UNESP, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Vera T M
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Borges
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis; D003971:Diastole; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Diabetes; cardiac abnormalities; diastolic function; echocardiogram; pregnancy