Studies on Mean Platelet Volume, Red Cell Distribution Width and Glycated Haemoglobin in Pregnant Women Diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus in Owerri, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64229/0ar13279Keywords:
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus, Mean Platelet Volume, Red Cell Distribution Width, Glycated Haemoglobin, Pregnant WomenAbstract
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by glucose intolerance with onset or first recognition during pregnancy. It is associated with both maternal and fetal complications, including macrosomia, preeclampsia, and increased risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. While glucose tolerance testing remains the diagnostic standard, hematological and related metabolic parameters have gained increasing attention as potential tools for evaluating risk and monitoring disease progression. Mean platelet volume (MPV), red cell distribution width (RDW), and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) are among the markers that may provide valuable insights.This study investigated alterations in MPV, RDW, and HbA1c in pregnant women with GDM in Owerri, Nigeria, compared with age-matched normoglycemic controls. A cross-sectional case-control design was employed. Blood samples were collected and analyzed using automated hematology analyzers and HPLC for HbA1c. Results revealed significantly elevated HbA1c in GDM patients compared with controls, confirming poor glycemic regulation. MPV was moderately increased in the GDM group, indicating enhanced platelet activation and a hypercoagulable tendency, while RDW showed a mild but statistically significant rise. These findings underscore the role of simple, cost-effective hematological indices and HbA1c in the routine evaluation of GDM, particularly in low-resource settings. Early integration of these markers into antenatal care may improve monitoring, risk stratification, and clinical outcomes for both mothers and infants.
References
[1]American Diabetes Association. Classification and diagnosis of diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2022;45(Suppl 1):S17–S38.
[2]Zhu Y, Zhang C. Prevalence of gestational diabetes and risk of progression to type 2 diabetes: a global perspective. Curr Diab Rep. 2016;16(1):7.
[3]Guariguata L, Linnenkamp U, Beagley J, Whiting DR, Cho NH. Global estimates of the prevalence of hyperglycaemia in pregnancy. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2014;103(2):176–185.
[4]Ogu RN, Maduka O, Agala V, Ndukwu G. Prevalence and risk factors of gestational diabetes mellitus in Nigeria: a systematic review. Niger J Clin Pract. 2021;24(3):307–314.
[5]Johns EC, Denison FC, Norman JE, Reynolds RM. Gestational diabetes mellitus: mechanisms, treatment, and complications. Trends Endocrinol Metab. 2018;29(11):743–754.
[6]McIntyre HD, Catalano P, Zhang C, Desoye G, Mathiesen ER, Damm P. Gestational diabetes mellitus. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2019;5(1):47.
[7]Plows JF, Stanley JL, Baker PN, Reynolds CM, Vickers MH. The pathophysiology of gestational diabetes mellitus. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(11):3342.
[8]Committee on Practice Bulletins—Obstetrics. ACOG practice bulletin no. 190: gestational diabetes mellitus. Obstet Gynecol. 2018;131(2):e49–e64.
[9]Vagdatli E, Gounari E, Lazaridou E, Katsibourlia E, Tsikopoulou F, Labrianou I. Platelet distribution width: a simple, practical and specific marker of activation of coagulation. Hippokratia. 2010;14(1):28–32.
[10]Zeng T, Shi L, Ji J, et al. Mean platelet volume in patients with diabetes mellitus. Front Endocrinol. 2021;12:636470.
[11]Salvagno GL, Sanchis-Gomar F, Picanza A, Lippi G. Red blood cell distribution width: a simple parameter with multiple clinical applications. Crit Rev Clin Lab Sci. 2015;52(2):86–105.
[12]Bekler A, Ozkan MT, Tenekecioglu E, et al. Increased red cell distribution width in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus. Clin Invest Med. 2014;37(1):E40–E46.
[13]Nathan DM, Turgeon H, Regan S. Relationship between glycated haemoglobin levels and mean glucose levels over time. Diabetologia. 2007;50(11):2239–2244.
[14]Nielsen LR, Ekbom P, Damm P, Glümer C, Frandsen MM, Jensen DM. HbA1c levels are significantly associated with pregnancy outcomes in type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2006;29(2):261–266.
[15]Hirst JE, Raynes-Greenow CH, Jeffery HE. A systematic review of trends of gestational diabetes mellitus in Asia. J Diabetes Res. 2012;2012:416418.
[16]Agarwal MM. Gestational diabetes mellitus: an update on the current international diagnostic criteria. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(6):782–791.
[17]Yogev Y, Visser GH. Obesity, gestational diabetes and pregnancy outcome. Semin Fetal Neonatal Med. 2009;14(2):77–84.
[18]Kodiatte TA, Manikyam UK, Rao SB, et al. Mean platelet volume in type 2 diabetes mellitus. J Lab Physicians. 2012;4(1):5–9.
[19]Kanbay A, Tutar N, Kaya E, Buyukoglan H, Oymak FS, Gulmez I. Mean platelet volume and its relationship with microvascular complications in diabetic patients. Platelets. 2014;25(6):423–427.
[20]Lippi G, Targher G, Montagnana M, Salvagno GL, Zoppini G, Guidi GC. Relation between red blood cell distribution width and inflammatory biomarkers in a large cohort of unselected outpatients. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2009; 133(4):628–632.
[21]Alayash AI. Oxidative mechanisms of hemoglobin-based blood substitutes. *Free Radic
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Chioruru Ruth Nneka, Aloy-Amadi Oluchi Chinwe, Akujobi Augustine Ugochukwu, Akogu Okechukwu, Aloy-Amadi Winifred Udodirim, Ezeh Caleb Chike (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
