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Obstetrics & Gynecology 1989;74:878-881
© 1989 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
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Increased Neutrophil Activation in Diabetic Pregnancy and in Nonpregnant Diabetic Women

I A GREER, MD, MRCP, MRCOG, N G HADDAD, MB, MOG, MRCOG, J. DAWES, PhD, T A JOHNSTON, MB, ChB, F D JOHNSTONE, MD, FRCOG and J M STEEL, MB, FRCP

From the Department of Obstetrics, University of Edinburgh; the MRC/SNBTS Blood Components Assay Group, Edinburgh; and the Diabetic and Dietetic Department, Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh, Scotland

Abstract

Human neutrophil elastase may be a mediator of vascular damage, and enhanced neutrophil reactivity could contribute to the susceptibility of pregnant diabetic women to vascular complications. Elevated plasma levels of neutrophil elastase will reflect neutrophil activation in vivo. The aim of this study was to determine whether neutrophil activation occurs in uncomplicated diabetic pregnancy. We studied 30 normal nonpregnant women, 20 nonpregnant diabetic women, 32 nondiabetic women with normal pregnancies, and 17 insulin-requiring pregnant diabetic patients. Plasma neutrophil elastase was measured by radioimmunoassay. There was a significantly higher concentration of plasma neutrophil elastase in normal pregnant women compared with the nonpregnant group (P < .001). The nonpregnant diabetic group had significantly higher concentrations than the normal nonpregnant group (P < .002). The pregnant diabetic group had significantly higher concentrations than the nonpregnant diabetic group (P < .0001) and the normal pregnant group (P < .05). The high concentrations of plasma neutrophil elastase may contribute to the greater sensitivity of pregnant diabetic patients to vascular complications.






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Copyright © 1989 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.