Brachial Artery Endothelium-Dependent Vasodilation In Women With Previous Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Objective:Previous gestational diabetes mellitus（pGDM）women were used as amodel to investigate the effects of short-term and mild hyperglycemia on endothelialfunction.Methods:Pregnant women not known to have diabetes, were screened for GDM at24-28weeks of gestation using a75-g OGTT. The American Diabetes Association criteriawere used to define GDM. During pregnancy in the GDM-N group (n=19),17womenhad been treated with diet only and two with diet plus insulin. The control group(n=19) included healthy pregnant women with normal75-g OGTT. All women hadbeen followed up in the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University.All measures were made at3mo postpartum. A75-g OGTT was performed again andbiochemical parameters, hemoglobinA(1c),homeostasis model assessment of insulinresistance (HOMA-IR) were measured. Using high-resolution ultrasound, wemeasured vasodiatory responses of the brachial artery during reactive hyperemia(endothelium-dependent vasodilation).Results:1. The GDM-N group did not differ from the control group in any of therecorded variables associated with vascular risk, including age, BMI, blood pressure,fasting glucose, HOMA-IR and hemoglobinA(1c),TG and LDL. Plasma glucosefollowing a75-g OGTT did not differ between two groups at2h.(P>0.05).2. Endothelium-dependent vasodilation did not differ between two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion:Endothelium-dependent vasodilation do not decline in previous GDM womenwith normal glucose level. This result suggests that endothelial function, which impaired by short-term and mild hyperglycemia, may still be reversible.