Insulin sensitivity in pre‐eclampsia

Objective To investigate whether pre‐eclampsia is associated with an exaggeration of the insulin resistance seen in normotensive pregnancy. Design Minimal model analysis of a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test to assess insulin sensitivity. Setting Royal Maternity Hospital, Belfast. Participants Eleven women with pre‐eclampsia and 11 matched normotensive pregnant women. Results Insulin sensitivity (SI) was increased in the group with pre‐eclampsia compared with the normotensive women (mean [±SEM]: 2.6 [0.4] vs 1.6 [0.2] 10−4 min−1 per mU/L; P= 0.028). This was accompanied by a decrease in glucose effectiveness (SG) (1*1 ±0.1 vs 1.7 ±0.1 10−2 mid, P= 0.006) in the pre‐eclamptic women. In the normotensive group there was a significant inverse correlation between S, and mean arterial blood pressure (Y=−0.65; P= 0.03), but no such relation existed in the group with pre‐eclampsia. Conclusions As with other forms of secondary hypertension, and unlike essential hypertension, the pathophysiology of pre‐eclampsia is not associated with insulin resistance.