Original article / research
Alterations in Inflammatory Markers in Women with and Without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-control Study
Correspondence Address :
Dr. Santhi Silambanan,
Professor of Biochemistry, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Porur, Chennai-600116, Tamil Nadu, India.
E-mail: santhisilambanan@gmail.com
Introduction: Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM) is diagnosed when pregnant women develop hyperglycaemia. GDM during pregnancy causes many complications in the mother and the foetus. Until now, GDM is diagnosed by an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT) that becomes positive in the second trimester of pregnancy. Widespread inflammation is present in GDM. Inflammatory markers could help diagnose GDM.
Aim: To evaluate the levels of inflammatory markers in women with GDM.
Materials and Methods: The present case-control study was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry, SRIHER, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. The data were collected from medical records from January 2022 to December 2023. Data on plasma glucose and Complete Blood Count (CBC) were collected. Inflammatory indices such as Neutrophil Lymphocyte Ratio (NLR), Monocyte Lymphocyte Ratio (MLR), Platelet Lymphocyte Ratio (PLR), Systemic Immune inflammation Index (SII), Systemic Inflammation Response Index (SIRI) were calculated. Pregnant women between the ages of 20 and 40 years without diabetes (n=119) and pregnant women with GDM (n=118) were included. Pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, and inflammatory disorders were excluded. The obtained data were subjected to the normality of distribution. Student’s t-test and Chi-square test were used. The Pearson correlation coefficient was used to compare the variables. The p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean age of women in non-diabetic group was 32.5±7.51 years and in diabetic group was 30.9±8.9 years (p=0.13). Among the White Blood Cells (WBC), only monocyte count (%) showed a statistically significant difference (p=0.03) between the groups. All the derived variables showed statistically significant differences between the groups NLR (p=0.007), MLR (p=0.007), PLR (p=0.03), SII (p=0.03), and SIRI (p=0.02). Fasting plasma glucose, 1-hr OGTT, and 2-hr OGTT were positively correlated with RBC, PLR, and SII, which were statistically significant.
Conclusion: All the derived variables, such as NLR, MLR, PLR, SII, and SIRI, showed higher values in GDM individuals than non-diabetic pregnant women. Plasma glucose was correlated with the systemic immune inflammation index and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio. Thus, inflammatory markers (NLR, MLR, PLR, SII, and SIRI) could serve as potential diagnostic markers of GDM.
Glucose tolerance test, Hyperglycaemia, Inflammation, Neutrophil, Plasma glucose
DOI: 10.7860/JCDR/2026/78687.22506
Date of Submission: Feb 17, 2025
Date of Peer Review: Mar 19, 2025
Date of Acceptance: Jul 09, 2025
Date of Publishing: Mar 01, 2026
AUTHOR DECLARATION:
• Financial or Other Competing Interests: None
• Was Ethics Committee Approval obtained for this study? Yes
• Was informed consent obtained from the subjects involved in the study? Yes
• For any images presented appropriate consent has been obtained from the subjects. NA
PLAGIARISM CHECKING METHODS:
• Plagiarism X-checker: Feb 19, 2025
• Manual Googling: Jul 05, 2025
• iThenticate Software: Jul 07, 2025 (13%)
ETYMOLOGY: Author Origin
EMENDATIONS: 7
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