The Levels of Glucagon Like Peptide-1 in Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Normal Pregnancy

Abstract

Objectives: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a chronic hyperglycaemic condition occurring in pregnancy. The increased blood glucose level is due to dysfunction of beta cells of the pancreas associated with chronic insulin resistance. Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone, is involved in the process of insulin secretion from beta cells. It is proposed that defects in GLP-1 are related to both Type 2 diabetes mellitus and probably GDM. Thus, a study was planned to measure and compare fasting blood GLP-1 levels between GDM and normal pregnant females along with other anthropometric and blood parameters.

Methodology: Eighty-four pregnant females were divided into 3 groups (n=28 in each group), pregnant females with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), GDM for the first time (GDM-1), and GDM for the 2nd time (GDM-2). Anthropometric parameters, fasting blood glucose level, GLP-1, serum insulin level and HOMA-IR were assessed in all study subjects. Analysis was done by SPSS-20. One-way ANOVA was applied for comparison of variables among study groups.

Results: There was a significant difference (p ˂0.05) regarding waist-to-hip ratio, fasting blood glucose level and HOMA-IR among groups, with an increase in both GDM-1 and GDM-2. There was a non-significant difference in fasting GLP-1 levels among the study groups (p = 0.688).

Conclusion: GLP-1 levels are not altered with deranged fasting blood glucose levels and HOMA-IR in GDM patients.

Keywords: Gestational diabetes mellitus, Glucagon Like Peptide-1, insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).