Seventy two-hour glucose monitoring profiles in mild gestational diabetes mellitus: differences from healthy pregnancies and influence of diet counseling.

OBJECTIVE: To study glucose profiles of gestational diabetes (GDM) patients with 72 h of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) either before (GDM1) or after (GDM2) dietary counseling, comparing them with nondiabetic (NDM) controls. DESIGN AND METHODS: We performed CGM on 22 GDM patients; 11 before and 11 after dietary counseling and compared them to 11 healthy controls. Several physiological and clinical characteristics of the glucose profiles were compared across the groups, including comparisons for pooled 24-h measures and hourly median values, summary measures representing glucose exposure (area under the median curves) and variability (amplitude, standard deviation, interquartile range), and time points related to meals. RESULTS: Most women (81.8%) in the GDM groups had fasting glucose <95mg/dL, suggesting mild GDM. Variability, glucose levels 1 and 2h after breakfast and dinner, peak values after dinner and glucose levels between breakfast and lunch, were all significantly higher in GDM1 than NDM (P<0.05 for all comparisons). The GDM2 results were similar to NDM in all aforementioned comparisons (P>0.05). Both GDM groups spent more time with glucose levels above 140mg/dL when compared with the NDM group. No differences among the groups were found for: pooled measurements and hourly comparisons, exposure, nocturnal, fasting, between lunch and dinner and before meals, as well as after lunch (P>0.05 for all). CONCLUSION: The main differences between the mild GDM1 group and healthy controls were related to glucose variability and excursions above 140mg/dL, while glucose exposure was similar. Glucose levels after breakfast and dinner also discerned the GDM1 group. Dietary counseling was able to keep glucose levels to those of healthy patients.

Previous gestational diabetes is independently associated with increased carotid intima-media thickness, similarly to metabolic syndrome - a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM) face a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and, consequently, a higher cardiovascular risk. This study aimed to compare the carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) from young women with pGDM to those with metabolic syndrome (MS) and to healthy controls (CG) to verify whether a past history of pGDM could be independently associated with increased cIMT. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study performed in two academic referral centers. Seventy-nine women with pGDM, 30 women with MS, and 60 CG aged between 18 and 47 years were enrolled. They all underwent physical examination and had blood glucose, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc), and triglycerides determined. The cIMT was measured by ultrasound in several carotid segments. The primary endpoint was cIMT and clinically relevant parameters included as predictors were: age, systolic blood pressure, waist, BMI, total cholesterol, LDLc, triglycerides, fasting glucose, previous history of GDM as a whole group, previous history of GDM without MS, presence of DM, presence of MS, and parity. RESULTS: cIMT was significantly higher in pGDM when compared to CG in all sites of measurements (P < 0.05) except for the right common carotid. The pGDM women showed similar cIMT measurements to MS in all sites of measurements, except for the left carotid bifurcation, where it was significantly higher than MS (P < 0.001). In a multivariate analysis which included classical cardiovascular risk factors and was adjusted for confounders, pGDM was shown to be independently associated with increased composite cIMT (P < 0.01). The pGDM without risk factors further showed similar cIMT to MS (P > 0.05) and an increased cIMT when compared to controls (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Previous GDM was independently associated with increased composite cIMT in this young population, similarly to those with MS and regardless the presence of established cardiovascular risk factors.

Diabetes gestacional: perfil e evolução de um grupo de pacientes do Hospital das Clínicas da UFMG / Gestational diabetes: profile and evolution of a group ofpatients from the University Hospital of Minas Gerais

Objetivos: a finalidade deste trabalho foi avaliar a presença de fatores de risco, tipo e resposta ao tratamento, incidência de complicações maternas, fetais e perinatais, além de persistência do diabetes pós-parto. Métodos: foram acompanhadas 66 portadoras de diabetes mellitus gestacional (DMG) no período de janeiro de 2007 a dezembro de 2008. Para isso, utilizou-se protocolo preestabelecido. Resultados: a história familiar de diabetes foi positiva em 65% dos casos. Destaca-se o fato de que apenas 30% das pacientes apresentaram índice de massa corporal (IMC) pré-concepcional normal (entre 18 e 25). Em contrapartida, 35% apresentaram sobrepeso (IMC entre 25 e 29,9) e outros 35% encontraram-se distribuídas entre diversos graus de obesidade. Quanto ao IMC ao término da gestação, 35% das gestantes encontravam-se em obesidade grau I (entre 30 e 34,9) e 13% em obesidade grau III (IMC acima de 40). Os sintomas sugestivos de diabetes ocorreram em 45,5% das pacientes. O diagnóstico de DMG foi estabelecido por glicemias de jejum alteradas em 45% do grupo e a insulinoterapia foi necessária em 53%. As complicações maternas ocorreram em 42% das gestantes, principalmente pré- -eclâmpsia e infecção do trato urinário. As complicações fetais ocorreram em 46% dos casos, principalmente macrossomia e polidrâmnio. A morbidade perinatal foi elevada e acometeu 62% dos recém-nascidos, sendo hipoglicemia neonatal a complicação mais freqüente. A taxa de diabetes pós-parto foi de 18%. Destaca-se também alta porcentagem de pacientes (37%) que não retornaram ao serviço de endocrinologia após o parto para confirmação da persistência ou não do DM. Cesariana e parto vaginal tiveram praticamente a mesma prevalência, com 51,5 e 48,5%, respectivamente. Ocorreram quatro mortes súbitas intraútero, o que corresponde a 6% das pacientes analisadas. Conclusão: nossos achados estão em concordância com a literatura, tendo em vista a alta morbidade perinatal, fetal e materna observada e característica...

Objectives: This study aims at evaluating the presence of risk factors, type and response to treatment, incidence of maternal complications, fetal and perinatal, and persistence of postpartum diabetes. Methods: A total of 66 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) between January 2007 and December 2008 were studied. A pre-established protocol was followed. Results: a family history of diabetes was positive in 65% of the cases. Only 30% of patients had pre-conception normal (between 18 and 25) body mass index (BMI). On the other hand, 35% were overweight (BMI between 25 and 29.9) and 35% presented several degrees of obesity. According to the BMI at the end of pregnancy, 35% of the women were in obesity class I (between 30 and 34.9) and 13% in class III obesity (BMI above 40). Suggestive symptoms of diabetes were found in 45.5% of the patients. Diagnosis of GDM was established by impaired fasting blood glucose in 45% of the group. Insulin therapy was applied in 53% of the cases. Maternal complications were found in 42% of pregnant women, particularly preeclampsia and urinary tract infection. Fetal complications were found in 46% of the cases, especially macrosomia and polyhydramnios. The rate of perinatal morbidity was high and affected 62% of newborns, and neonatal hypoglycemia was the most frequent complication. Postpartum diabetes rate was 18%. Also, a high percentage of patients (37%) have not returned to the endocrinology service after delivery to confirm or not the persistence of DM. Cesarean and vaginal showed a very similar prevalence, with 51.5 and 48.5% respectively. Four intrauterine sudden deaths were registered, which represents 6% of patients analyzed. Conclusion: The findings of this study are in accordance to the literature, once high perinatal, fetal and maternal morbidity, are observed and characteristic of DMG.

The renin-angiotensin system and diabetes: an update.

In the past few years the classical concept of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has experienced substantial conceptual changes. The identification of the renin/prorenin receptor, the angiotensin-converting enzyme homologue ACE2 as an angiotensin peptide processing enzyme, Mas as a receptor for Ang-(1-7) and the possibility of signaling through ACE, have contributed to switch our understanding of the RAS from the classical limited-proteolysis linear cascade to a cascade with multiple mediators, multiple receptors, and multi-functional enzymes. In this review we will focus on the recent findings related to RAS and, in particular, on its role in diabetes by discussing possible interactions between RAS mediators, endothelium function, and insulin signaling transduction pathways as well as the putative role of ACE2-Ang-(1-7)-Mas axis in disease pathogenesis.

Left ventricle diastolic dysfunction in diabetes: an update.

Diabetes mellitus, a disease that has been reaching epidemic proportions, is an important risk factor to the development of cardiovascular complication. Diabetes causes changes within the cardiac structure and function, even in the absence of atherosclerotic disease. The left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (VE) represents the earliest pre-clinical manifestation of diabetic cardiomyopathy, preceding the systolic dysfunction and being able to evolve to symptomatic heart failure. The doppler echocardiography has emerged as an important noninvasive diagnostic tool, providing reliable data in the stages of diastolic function, as well as for systolic function. With the advent of recent echocardiographic techniques, such as tissue Doppler and color M-mode, the accuracy in identifying the moderate diastolic dysfunction, the pseudonormal pattern, has significantly improved. Due to cardio-metabolic repercussions of DM, a detailed evaluation of cardiovascular function in diabetic patients is important, and some alterations may be seen even in patients with gestational diabetes.

Left ventricle diastolic dysfunction in diabetes: an update

Diabetes mellitus, a disease that has been reaching epidemic proportions, is an important risk factor to the development of cardiovascular complication. Diabetes causes changes within the cardiac structure and function, even in the absence of atherosclerotic disease. The left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (VE) represents the earliest pre-clinical manifestation of diabetic cardiomyopathy, preceding the systolic dysfunction and being able to evolve to symptomatic heart failure. The doppler echocardiography has emerged as an important noninvasive diagnostic tool, providing reliable data in the stages of diastolic function, as well as for systolic function. With the advent of recent echocardiographic techniques, such as tissue Doppler and color M-mode, the accuracy in identifying the moderate diastolic dysfunction, the pseudonormal pattern, has significantly improved. Due to cardiometabolic repercussions of DM, a detailed evaluation of cardiovascular function in diabetic patients is important, and some alterations may be seen even in patients with gestational diabetes.

O Diabetes Mellitus (DM), doença que vem atingindo proporções epidêmicas, é um importante fator de risco para o desenvolvimento de complicação cardiovascular. O DM leva a alterações cardíacas estruturais e funcionais, mesmo na ausência de doença aterosclerótica. A disfunção diastólica do ventrículo esquerdo (VE) representa a manifestação pré-clínica mais precoce da cardiomiopatia diabética, precedendo a disfunção sistólica e podendo progredir para insuficiência cardíaca sintomática. O Doppler ecocardiograma tem se mostrado uma importante ferramenta diagnóstica não-invasiva, fornecendo dados confiáveis dos estágios da função diastólica do VE, assim como da função sistólica. Com o advento de recentes técnicas de ecocardiografia, como o Doppler tecidual e o color M-mode, a acurácia em identificar a disfunção diastólica moderada, padrão pseudonormal, aumentou significativamente. Frente às repercussões cardiometabólicas do DM, é importante uma avaliação detalhada da função cardiovascular dos pacientes diabéticos, sendo que algumas alterações podem ser vistas até mesmo em pacientes com o diabetes gestacional.

Gestational diabetes: a condition of early diastolic abnormalities in young women.

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is not merely a temporary condition, but a harbinger of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and atherosclerotic disease. We examined the effect of GDM on cardiac diastolic function. METHODS: Diastolic function was evaluated by serial Doppler echocardiography with pulsed tissue Doppler imaging in 13 patients with GDM and 13 healthy pregnant women (control group) during the third trimester of pregnancy and after 8 weeks postpartum. Diagnostic criteria for GDM were those as recommended by the American Diabetes Association. Exclusion criteria were any disease or condition that could interfere with diastolic function. Measurements at both times in each group were compared by paired t tests and changes of patients with diabetes were compared with those in control patients by unpaired t tests. RESULTS: There were no differences in age, left ventricular mass, or systolic function between groups. The Doppler parameters that showed significant difference between groups were higher atrial contraction wave (A wave) (P = .008) and lower rapid filling wave (E)/A ratio (P = .006) in diabetic group, on both occasions. Tissue Doppler parameters showed a significant decrease in Em (P = .002) and early mitral annulus velocity (Em)/late mitral annulus velocity (Am) (P = .008) in diabetic group on both occasions, and the Am wave remained increased only in the diabetic group at postpartum. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with GDM showed a different diastolic function profile, suggesting a mild degree of diastolic abnormality. The persistence of some abnormalities postpartum corroborates our hypothesis of an early cardiovascular involvement in this group, enhancing the need of a close cardiovascular follow-up of these patients.

Diabetes e Gravidez: avaliaçäo retrospectiva - 1978 a 1988 Hospital das Clínicas da UFMG / Diabetes and pregnancy: a retrospective study - 1978 to 1988 in Hospital das Clinicas da UFMG

Um estudo retrospectivo de 47 mulheres diabéticas em 50 gestaçöes ocorridas entre 1978 e 1988 foi realizado no Hospital das Clínicas da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais. Vinte e uma (45%) destas pacientes tinham diabetes gestacional; 19(40%), diabetes insulino-dependente e (15%), diabetes näo insulino dependente. Nenhuma das pacientes dos dois últimos grupos foi submetida a controle glicêmico rigoroso antes da concepçäo. Dosagem da hemoglobina glicolisada foi realizada em 20 (42,5%) das pacientes. Doença hipertensiva específica da gravidez e infecçöes do trato urinário foram as complicaçöes mais frequentes encontradas em nosso estudo, com uma taxa de 21% para cada uma delas. Prematuridade ocorreu em 19 gestaçöes (38%). Partos com vida ocorreram em 68% das gestaçöes. O tratamento foi realizado de diferentes maneiras, mesmo dentro de grupos com diabetes do mesmo tipo. Ocorreram controle glicêmico precário, taxa elevada de abortamentos, malformaçöes congênitas e perdas fetais.