Gestational diabetes has no additional effect on plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor antigen levels beyond pregnancy

The use of biomarkers at the end of the second trimester to predict Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE

Previous studies that investigated the relationship between biomarkers and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) generally focused on individual biomarkers with significant heterogeneity in terms of the screening methodologies, diagnostic criteria for GDM and sample handling of glucose within these studies. This prospective study used an established panel of ten biomarkers to determine if they could predict the diagnosis of GDM.

STUDY DESIGN

Women with risk factors for GDM were recruited at their first antenatal visit. They attended for an oral glucose tolerance test at 26-28 weeks' gestation with strict preanalytical handling of glucose samples to minimise glycolysis. A fasting plasma sample taken simultaneously was stored at -80 °C and analysed in bulk for 10 biomarkers (insulin, c-peptide, glucagon, ghrelin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1), leptin, visfatin, resistin and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1)) using the Bio-plex-pro Human Diabetes Assay.

RESULTS

Insulin and C-peptide levels in the third tertile were associated with the development of GDM (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.6, 95 % CI 1.3-5.0, p = 0.005 and aOR 3.7, 95 % CI 1.8-7.4, p < 0.001 respectively, adjusted for maternal obesity). Elevated levels of ghrelin were associated with a lower odds of developing GDM, after adjustment for maternal obesity. However, approximately half of the women with GDM who were in the obesity category did not have insulin or c-peptide levels in the third tertile.

CONCLUSIONS

While three of the ten biomarkers were statistically associated with an increased risk of GDM, the large overlap in values between those with normal and abnormal glucose tolerance meant that the biomarkers (alone or in combination) were not useful clinically.

Influence of Glycemic Control on Coagulation and Lipid Metabolism in Pregnancies Complicated by Pregestational and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Hypercoagulability and altered lipid metabolism, which are observed in normal pregnancy, can be enhanced in diabetes mellitus. The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of glycemic control on coagulation and lipid metabolism in women with pregestational (PGDM) and gestational (GDM) diabetes treated with insulin. There were 50 patients with PGDM and 101 patients with GDM enrolled into the study. Serum lipid and coagulation parameters were assessed at 18-22, 25-28, and 31-34 weeks of pregnancy and were compared within the diabetic groups with reference to the effectiveness of glycemia control. We found that poor glycemic control was associated with shortened activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and increased activity of antithrombin III (ATIII) in both diabetic groups and with a higher plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) content level in the GDM group. Poorly controlled PGDM was associated with higher levels of total cholesterol and high-density cholesterol (HDL) in the second trimester and triglycerides in the third trimester. In patients with poorly controlled GDM, a higher concentration of HDL was observed in third trimester, whereas a higher triglyceride level was found in both second and third trimesters. Positive correlations between total cholesterol and APTT and between triglyceride and APTT and ATIII were found in the poorly controlled PGDM group. We conclude that poor glycemic control of diabetic pregnancy impacts both lipid metabolism and the blood coagulation system.

Is There a Tendency for Thrombosis in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus?

Context:

Impact of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on the coagulation system, dynamics involved at a pathophysiological level and the exact mechanism remain unclear.

Aims:

To evaluate the association between diabetes-related parameters and hemostatic factors to search for a tendency of thrombosis in GDM.

Settings and Design:

Nineteen pregnant women who had GDM, 16 healthy pregnant and 13 healthy nonpregnant controls admitted to the Endocrinology outpatient clinics were enrolled in the study.

Subjects and Methods:

Fasting and postprandial glucose, hemoglobin A1c and insulin levels, and insulin resistance; fructosamine, thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), plasminogen activator inhibitor Type-1 (PAI-1), tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA), fibrinogen, plasminogen and hemoglobin levels, platelet counts, prothrombin time (PT), and activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) were studied.

Statistical Analysis Used:

One-way analysis of variance, Kruskal–Wallis, and post hoc Tukey honestly significant difference or Conover's nonparametric multiple comparison tests for comparison of the study groups.

Results:

PT and aPTT were significantly lower in GDM patients compared to controls (P < 0.05), whereas fibrinogen and plasminogen levels were significantly higher in this group compared to both nonpregnant and healthy pregnant controls (P < 0.05 for each). TAFI, TFPI, PAI-1, and tissue t-PA levels were not significantly different among groups.

Conclusions:

Our findings indicate tendency to develop thrombosis in GDM similar to diabetes mellitus; but more comprehensive studies with larger sample size are needed to determine the relationship between GDM and hemostasis.

Levels of thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor in gestational diabetes mellitus

Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) is a procarboxypeptidase, which is synthesised in liver and activated by thrombin and the thrombin-thrombomodulin complex. TAFI suppresses fibrinolysis by removing carboxy-terminal lysine residues from partially degraded fibrin. In this study we aimed to assess the circulating levels of TAFI antigen, 'a fibrinolytic parameter' in women with gestational diabetes (GDM). Thirty-four pregnant women with GDM and 50 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance were included in the study. Plasma TAFI antigen levels were significantly higher in pregnant women with GDM when compared with controls. Increased TAFI levels may contribute to the decreased fibrinolytic potency, causing a thrombophilic state. GDM is regarded as a specific form of diabetes, and it could in addition be a predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus in the future and the risk of complications due to hypercoagulability increases in this disease. Increased TAFI levels may also have a role in increased risk of hypercoagulability.

Plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor levels are not associated with glucose intolerance and subclinical atherosclerosis in women with previous gestational diabetes

We aimed to determine plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) antigen levels in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and to evaluate the possible association of plasma TAFI with glucose intolerance and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis. This cross-sectional study was performed in 111 women with previous GDM and 60 controls. Glucose intolerance was evaluated. Homeostasis model assessment score was calculated. Circulating lipids, interleukin-6, matrix metalloproteinase-1, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and TAFI antigen levels were assayed. Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) was measured. Women with previous GDM had increased levels of atherosclerosis markers and carotid IMT. On the other hand, plasma TAFI antigen levels were similar (P = .395). Thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor was not associated with the indices of insulin resistance, glucose intolerance, markers of atherosclerosis, and carotid IMT. Our data demonstrated that plasma TAFI was not altered in women with previous GDM. TAFI was not associated with glucose intolerance and subclinical atherosclerosis.

Inflammatory mediators and glucose in pregnancy: results from a subset of the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study

CONTEXT

Inflammatory mediators are associated with type 2 and gestational diabetes. It is unknown whether there are associations with glucose in pregnant women with lesser degrees of hyperglycemia.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the study was to examine associations of inflammatory mediators with maternal glucose levels and neonatal size in a subset of participants in the Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome (HAPO) Study.

DESIGN

Eligible pregnant women underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test between 24 and 32 wk gestation, and levels of C-peptide, adiponectin, plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), C-reactive protein (CRP), and resistin were measured in fasting serum samples. Associations of inflammatory mediators with maternal glucose and with birth size were assessed using multiple linear regression analyses, adjusting for maternal body mass index (BMI), fasting C-peptide, and other potential confounders.

RESULTS

Mean levels of adiponectin declined, and PAI-1 and CRP increased across increasing levels of maternal glucose, BMI, and C-peptide. For example, for fasting plasma glucose less than 75 mg/dl and fasting plasma glucose of 90 mg/dl or greater, adiponectin was 22.5 and 17.4 μg/ml and PAI-1 was 30.9 and 34.2 ng/ml, respectively. Associations with 1- and 2-h plasma glucose remained significant for adiponectin (P<0.001), PAI-1 (P<0.05), and CRP (P<0.01) after adjustment for BMI and C-peptide. Adiponectin and CRP were inversely associated with birth weight, sum of skinfolds and percent body fat, and PAI-1 with sum of skinfolds (all P<0.05) after adjustment for confounders. Resistin was not associated with 1- or 2-h glucose or birth size.

CONCLUSION

Levels of inflammatory mediators are associated with levels of maternal glucose in pregnant women without overt diabetes.