Relationship between maternal serum C - reactive protein concentration and Gestational diabetes mellitus

It is hypothesized that GDM may be a systemic inflammation mediated by cytokine. This case-control study was designed to investigate correlation between C-reactive protein (CRP) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In a case-control study, a convenient sample of 60 pregnant women with GDM (case group) and 120 pregnant women without GDM (control group) who attended to GDM and prenatal clinics and women clinics of Ayatollah Taleghani and Mahdiyeh Hospitals were included. Serum level of CRP measured by qualitative and quantitative methods was compared in two groups. Demographic information and reproductive history were obtained by interview. Both of the group was matched in age, parity, first trimester body mass index and DMF index. Data were analyzed by descriptive and analytic statistics. Demographic characteristics and reproductive histories were similar in two groups. Significantly different was between two groups in serum level of qualitative CRP (p<0/0005) and serum level of quantitative CRP (P<0/0005). CRP was strongly associated wish Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) (p<0/0005). The results suggest that there is correlation between C-reactive protein and gestational diabetes mellitus, and inflammation may play an important role in the development of gestational diabetes mellitus and CRP can act as the risk predictor of GDM. More studies are needed to verify these results.