Abstract
AimGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is associated with cardiovascular diseases; however, the relationship between epicardial fat thickness (EFT) and GDM remains unclear. The present study evaluates and compares EFT using transthoracic echocardiography in pregnant women with GDM.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study included 129 pregnant women in the third trimester: 65 with GDM (GDM group) and 64 with uncomplicated pregnancies (control group). As defined by the World Health Organization, the diagnosis of GDM was based on an abnormal 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) results. We used echocardiography to measure EFT in blood samples for all the participants.ResultsThe postprandial blood glucose level was significantly higher in the GDM group than in the control group (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences in BMI, heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure or lipid parameters between the groups. In the GDM group, isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) parameters were significantly higher than in the control group. EFT was significantly higher in the GDM group (P < 0.001) and was correlated with postprandial glucose, BMI, age, and heart rate in both the groups. Only postprandial glucose and BMI remained significantly associated with EFT after multiple stepwise regression analysis.ConclusionEchocardiographically measured EFT was significantly higher in the patients with GDM. The findings show that EFT was strongly correlated with postprandial glucose.
Highlights
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is impairment in carbohydrate tolerance that begins or is recognized for the first time during pregnancy [1]
epicardial fat thickness (EFT) was significantly higher in the GDM group (P < 0.001) and was correlated with postprandial glucose, body mass index (BMI), age, and heart rate in both the groups
Postprandial glucose and BMI remained significantly associated with EFT after multiple stepwise regression analysis
Summary
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is impairment in carbohydrate tolerance that begins or is recognized for the first time during pregnancy [1]. It has an incidence of 1-14% [2,3]. GDM is not just a pregnancy disorder, but patients with GDM are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) postpartum [4]. The relationship between type 2 DM and cardiovascular diseases is well-known [5,6,7,8]. The preclinical markers of the atherosclerotic process are observed just before the development of type 2 DM, cardiovascular risk in females can be complicated by GDM. Epicardial fat tissue is an active tissue that originates from the same embryogenic layer as visceral adipose tissue and contributes to the energy supply of the heart and its surrounding tissues, and secretes hormones adiponectin
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