The frequency of autoimmune gestational diabetes

Abstract

BACKGROUND. Women with GDM have a considerable risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life, but the risk of developing type 1 diabetes is also increased. The presence of circulating autoantibodies against beta cells antigens is a detectable marker of an ongoing destructive process in islet cells. The aim of this work was to determine the frequency of GDM who displays presence of autoantibodies against beta cells antigens.
MATERIAL AND METHODS. The research included 184 GDM patients and 63 pregnant women without GDM. 246 pregnant women were tested for the presence of GADA, IA-2A, ICA.
RESULTS. The frequency of autoantibodies was found in 18.6% GDM patients and 17.3% in the group with positive screening test. In the GDM G/B group the frequency of autoantibodies was found to be 21.4%, while in GDM G/A - 15.29%. The most common single autoantibody was respectively: GADA (16.9%), then ICA (4.4%) and IA-2A (3.8%). In the GDM G/B group more than one autoantibody was present in 9.18% patients, while in GDM G/A - only 1.18%.
CONCLUSIONS. The frequency of autoimmune gestational diabetes is 18.6%. In the case of suspicion of autoimmune GDM, first of all GADA should be tested, since they are found in 91% cases of autoimmune diabetes. A developing autoimmune GDM can be manifested even in discrete carbohydrates disorders, which are even not detected during diagnostic test. Therefore all of carbohydrates disorders should be carefully analyzed by diabetologists.