ERYTHROCYTE INDICATORS OF OXIDATIVE STRESS IN GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Foetuses born to mothers with gestational diabetes are at increased ri sk of developing respiratory distress, foetal macrosomia, foetal anoma lies and platelet hyperaggregability. High blood glucose level induces oxidative stress and decreases antioxidant defences. The present stud y discusses the possibility of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidatio n in both maternal and foetal erythrocytes as an indicator of oxygen r adical activity. The level of lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation in erythrocytes was estimated in 20 mothers with gestational diabetes and their newborns. The maternal age varied between 19 and 42 y and f oetal age ranged between 34 and 39 weeks. The proteolytic activities i n the erythrocyte lysates obtained from mothers with gestational diabe tes and their newborns were significantly greater [(mean +/- SD) 24.41 +/- 9.05 and 16.70 +/- 3.36 mu M Of amino groups/g haemoglobin, n = 2 0, respectively] than those from control group (10.15 +/- 4.84 and 14. 61 +/- 6.21 mu M amino groups/g haemoglobin, n = 15, respectively; p < 0.05 in both cases). Similarly erythrocyte malondialdehyde levels wer e significantly elevated in babies born to mothers with gestational di abetes (10.11 +/- 2.21 nM/g haemoglobin) when compared to controls (6. 8 +/- 3.75 nM/g haemoglobin) (p < 0.05). In the erythrocytes of mother s with gestational diabetes, malondialdehyde levels correlated signifi cantly with glycated haemoglobin levels (p < 0.01). The results of thi s study indicate that the oxidative stress induced by gestational diab etes manifests as increased lipid peroxidation and protein oxidative d amage in the erythrocytes of both mothers with,gestational diabetes an d their newborn infants.