Background
Approximately 7% of all pregnancies are complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Maternal complications pertaining to GDM are associated with a variety of complications in pregnancy, most notably preeclampsia (PE), which is characterized by an exaggerated systemic inflammatory response. The study aimed to examine the clinical significance of detection of the cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in pregnant women with GDM and PE.
Patients and methods
A total of 60 pregnant women, comprising 25 diagnosed with GDM, 15 with PE, and 20 controls normoglycemic and normotensive, were examined. TNF-α and IL-6 were estimated.
Results
IL-6 concentration was significantly higher in the pregnant females who developed GDM and PE later during pregnancy compared with the control group ( < 0.0001 and 0.003, respectively). TNF-α concentration showed only significant difference in the women who developed GDM later during pregnancy when compared with the control group ( < 0.0001).
Conclusion
TNF-α and IL-6 have been proposed to play an important role in the prediction of the pathogenesis of GDM and PE.