Decreased flow-mediated dilation in gestational diabetes in pregnancy and post-partum. A systematic review and meta-analysis

Uterine Arteries Resistance in Pregnant Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Diabetes Mellitus Type 1, Diabetes Mellitus Type 2, and Uncomplicated Pregnancies

BACKGROUND

The examination of the uterine arteries using Doppler in the first trimester of pregnancy serves as a valuable tool for evaluating the uteroplacental circulation. Diabetes mellitus is associated with altered placental implantation and pregnancy-related pathologies, such as preeclampsia. The aim of this study was to compare the uterine arteries' pulsatility indices (UtA PI) in women with diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1), diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), and uncomplicated pregnancies.

METHODS

This was a retrospective case-control trial including pregnant women with DM1, DM2, GDM, and uncomplicated pregnancies, presenting for first-trimester ultrasound screening in two tertiary university hospitals between 2013 and 2023. The first-trimester UtA pulsatility index (PI), expressed in multiples of medians (MoMs), was compared between the four groups.

RESULTS

Out of 15,638 pregnant women, 58 women with DM1, 67 women with DM2, 65 women with GDM, and 65 women with uncomplicated pregnancies were included. The mean UtA PI were 1.00 ± 0.26 MoMs, 1.04 ± 0.32 MoMs, 1.02 ± 0.31 MoMs, and 1.08 ± 0.33 MoMs in pregnant women with DM1, DM2, GDM, and uncomplicated pregnancies, respectively (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Potential alterations in the implantation of the placenta in pregnant women with diabetes were not displayed in the first-trimester pulsatility indices of the uterine arteries, as there were no changes between the groups.

Pregnancy outcomes in the different phenotypes of gestational diabetes mellitus based on the oral glucose tolerance test. A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIMS

To assess the prevalence variation in pregnancy outcomes of the different phenotypes of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

MATERIALS

Cohort, cross sectional and case control studies grouping together pregnant women with GDM, based on the results of oral glucose tolerance test(OGTT) and reporting pregnancy outcomes in each group, were included. The primary outcomes were (i)large for gestational age and ii)hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP). The secondary outcomes included (i)insulin treatment, ii)admission to neonatal intensive care unit, iii)preterm birth, iv)small for gestational age and v)caesarean section. The pooled proportions of the outcomes of interest were calculated for each phenotype.

RESULTS

8 studies (n = 20.928 women with GDM) were included. The pooled prevalence of LGA, HDP and insulin treatment were 20 %, 8 % and 24 % respectively in women with abnormal fasting plasma glucose,10 %, 6 % and 9 % respectively in women with abnormal post-load plasma glucose and 14 %,14 % and 30 % in women with abnormal combined plasma glucose.

CONCLUSIONS

Pregnant women with abnormal fasting plasma glucose, present with the highest prevalence of LGA, while those with abnormal combined plasma glucose, present with the highest prevalence of HDP. Pregnant women with abnormal post-load plasma glucose present with the lowest need for insulin treatment.