Cellular Inflammatory Markers and the Castelli Risk Indices in Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Background: The clinical importance of early identification of potential predictors of cardiovascular events in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) cannot be overemphasized. Thus, this study was aimed to determine the levels of selected cellular inflammatory markers and Castelli I and II risk indices in women with GDM. Methods: A total of 40 pregnant women, consisting of 11 women with GDM and 29 women without GDM, were randomly enrolled in this case-control study using the convenient sampling method. After participants fasted overnight, venous blood samples were taken, and the plasma lipid profiles were determined using the spectrophotometric methods. Then, differential white blood cells counting was done using a microscope. Thereafter, plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels, Castelli risk index-I (CRI-I) and CRI-II, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and monocyte lymphocyte ratio (MLR) were calculated using the appropriate formula. Student’s t-test, Mann Whitney U, Chi-square, and Spearman’s rho correlations were used for statistical analysis. P-values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant.Results: Mean age, gestational weight, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), LDL-C, and neutrophil count were significantly higher in women with GDM. Likewise with the Castelli I and II risk indices values, as well as the NLR. In contrast, HDL-C levels, lymphocytes, and monocytes counts were significantly lower in women with GDM. However, the two groups observed no difference in the MLR ) .Conclusion: Gestational diabetes mellitus is associated with dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation, which are forerunners of cardiovascular diseases.