Is carbohydrate metabolism altered among women who have undergone a preeclamptic pregnancy?

Objective: To compare women after a preeclamptic pregnancy with women after a normal pregnancy with respect to androgenic-anabolic status and carbohyd rate and lipid profiles. Method: Twenty-one patients and 22 controls were f ollowed up to 26-119 weeks after delivery. Blood was sampled for analyses o f insulin, glucose, insulin growth factor-1, lipids, androgens, sex hormone -binding globulin (SHBG) and uric acid. Anthropometric data and blood press ure were recorded. Data are presented as median and ranges (within parenthe ses) or mean +/- SEM where appropriate. Comparisons were made by unpaired t test or Mann-Whitney U test, respectively. Results: Significantly higher v alues were found in the preeclampsia than in the control group for fasting insulin, fasting glucose, fasting insulin resistance index (FIRI, fasting g lucose x fasting insulin/25), serum triglycerides, uric acid and blood pres sure. There were no differences in androgen status and IGF-1 levels. Conclu sion: Patients with a recent history of preeclampsia demonstrate signs of r elative insulin resistance, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperuricemia as well as increased blood pressure as compared with women who had a normal pregnan cy. However, in contrast to other women with insulin resistance, they have a normal androgen status. Copyright (C) 1999 S.Karger AG, Basel.