ABSTRACT
To assess cord blood serum sICAM-1 level in IDMS and whether it is related to birth weight and fetal insulinemia. 30 full term neonates to pregestational diabetic mothers [Patient group] and 20 healthy full term neonates to non diabetic mothers [Control group] recruited from neonates delivered in Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Ain Shams University were enrolled. Infants of diabetic mothers [IDMs] were divided into 2 groups, macrosomic [n:15] and non macrosomic neonates [n:15]. Infants' anthropometric indices were recorded. Cord blood samples for glucose, insulin sICAM assay, together with maternal glycosylated haemoglobin were obtained and analyzed. Serum insulin and sICAM were significantly increased in IDMs compared to the control group. Serum glucose, insulin and sICAM were comparable in macrosomic and non macrosomic IDMs. sICAM-1 level was not correlated to gestational age, birth weight, crown heel length and head circumference in infants of diabetic mothers [both macrosomic and non macrosomic] or control groups. sICAM was not correlated to maternal HbA1C in IDMs. sICAM was not correlated to glucose and insulin in all studied groups. Infants of diabetic mothers had elevated levels of cord serum insulin and sICAM, which were comparable in both macrosomic and non-macrosomic neonates. Whether the subclinical inflammation is associated with long term effects on the increasing prevalence of obesity and glucose intolerance later in life remains to be investigated