TY - JOUR A1 - Chen, You-Peng A1 - Li, Jian A1 - Wang, Zi-Neng A1 - Reichetzeder, Christoph A1 - Xu, Hao A1 - Gong, Jian A1 - Chen, Guang-Ji A1 - Pfab, Thiemo A1 - Xiao, Xiao-Min A1 - Hocher, Berthold T1 - Renin angiotensin aldosterone system and glycemia in pregnancy T2 - Clinical laboratory : the peer reviewed journal for clinical laboratories and laboratories related to blood transfusion N2 - Background: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is involved in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in the general population. The RAAS is activated during pregnancy. However, it is unknown whether the RAAS contributes to glycemia in pregnant women. Methods: Plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone levels were quantified at delivery in 689 Chinese mothers. An oral glucose tolerance test in fasted women was performed in the second trimester of pregnancy. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and impaired glucose tolerance during pregnancy were made according to the guidelines of the Chinese Society of Obstetrics. Results: Plasma aldosterone was significantly higher in pregnant women with GDM as compared to those without impairment of glycemic control (normal pregnancies: 0.27 +/- 0.21 ng/mL, GDM: 0.36 +/- 0.30 ng/mL; p<0.05). Regression analyses revealed that PRA was negatively correlated with fasting blood glucose (FBG) (R-2 = 0.03, p = 0.007), whereas plasma aldosterone and aldosterone/PRA ratio were positively correlated with FBG (R-2 = 0.05, p<0.001 and R-2 = 0.03, p = 0.007, respectively). Multivariable regression analysis models considering relevant confounding factors confirmed these findings. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that fasting blood glucose in pregnant women is inversely correlated with the PRA, whereas plasma aldosterone showed a highly significant positive correlation with fasting blood glucose during pregnancy. Moreover, plasma aldosterone is significantly higher in pregnant women with GDM as compared to those women with normal glucose tolerance during pregnancy. Although causality cannot be proven in association studies, these data may indicate that the RAAS during pregnancy contributes to the pathogenesis of insulin resistance/new onset of diabetes during pregnancy. KW - Renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system KW - pregnancy KW - fasting blood glucose KW - glycemic control Y1 - 2012 UR - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/36294 SN - 1433-6510 VL - 58 IS - 5-6 SP - 527 EP - 533 PB - Clin Lab Publ., Verl. Klinisches Labor CY - Heidelberg ER -