Hormonal Parameters in Gestational Diabetes mellitus during the Third Trimester: High Glucagon Levels

Vol. 49, No. 2, 2000

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Original Paper

Hormonal Parameters in Gestational Diabetes mellitus during the Third Trimester: High Glucagon Levels
S.I. Grigorakis, M. Alevizaki, C. Beis, E. Anastasiou, C.C. Alevizaki, A. Souvatzoglou

1st Endocrine Section and Diabetes Centre, Department of Internal Medicine, Alexandra University Hospital, Athens, Greece

Address of Corresponding Author

Gynecol Obstet Invest 2000;49:106-109 (DOI: 10.1159/000010225)

Key Words

Hormonal milieu
Diabetes mellitus - gestational
Glucagon
Insulin resistance
Pregnancy

Abstract

Hormonal parameters during the last trimester of pregnancy contribute to a natural increase of insulin resistance. It is not known whether any of these are further involved in the manifestation of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in affected individuals. Basal levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor-I, prolactin, glucagon, estradiol, progesterone, human placental lactogen and human chorionic gonadotropin were investigated in 15 nonobese women with GDM and 26 matched normal pregnant women (N). A linear discriminant analysis was performed to further compare the predictive value of the basal hormone levels. Plasma glucagon levels were significantly higher in the GDM group (p = 0.014); this difference was even higher (p = 0.007) when the number of women was increased (GDM = 33, N = 62). No significant differences were found in the levels of any of the other hormones. It is not clear whether elevated glucagon levels have any involvement in the pathogenesis of GDM or simply reflect the relative insulin deficiency of these women.

Author Contacts

Maria Alevizaki, MD, PhD
Department of Internal Medicine, Alexandra University Hospital
80, Vassilissis Sofias Avenue
GR-115 28 Athens (Greece)
Tel. +30 1 7773969, Fax +30 1 7704143

Article Information

Received: Received: April 30, 1999
Accepted after revision: August 13, 1999
Number of Print Pages : 4
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 1, Number of References : 18

Medline Abstract (ID 10671817)

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