The Association of Reduced Arterial Stiffness and Highly Sensitive C-reactive Protein With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus.

Gestational diabetes is a growing problem at the global level, and it brings with it numerous perinatal and maternal complications. In addition, it is associated with a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. However, the mechanisms by which this happens have not been fully elucidated, which is why the possibilities of prevention are limited. Insulin resistance is recognized as a cause of GDM and associated with a decrease in arterial elasticity due to its pro-inflammatory pathogenesis, which is manifested by an increase in pro-inflammatory biomarkers, such as hs CRP. However, the application of these findings has not yet taken root in practice.

It is necessary to find reliable methods of screening pregnant women with GDM who have an increased risk of developing complications both during pregnancy and later in life.

Reduced arterial elasticity is recognized as a predictor of cardiovascular diseases, and its measurement is recommended to be introduced into clinical practice. On the other hand, measuring hsCRP is simple and available, but its practical application is still questionable and additional research is needed. Several studies have attempted to link GDM with reduced arterial elasticity and/or increased hs CRP, but the conclusions are contradictory, probably due to the small number of subjects. On the other hand, I did not find studies that measured the mentioned parameters just after delivery for the purpose of predicting cardiovascular risk (80-82 ref from MR).

This research will try to prove the association of GDM with reduced arterial stiffness and elevated hsCRP values. The results will attempt to justify the introduction into clinical practice of measuring arterial elasticity and hsCRP in order to find pregnant women at risk of developing complications during and after pregnancy.

Research objectives