Lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzymes in gestational diabetics.

The exact pro-oxidant and antioxidant status in gestational diabetes is still unclear. To add new insight to the question, changes in the lipid peroxidation products (MDA) and activities of antioxidant enzymes: superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase in red blood cell hemolysates were evaluated in 20 women with gestational diabetes. 20 healthy pregnant women served as the control group. Statistical analysis was done using unpaired Student' t - test. Pregnant women with gestational diabetes showed an increase in lipoperoxidation products (P < 0.001) and a decrease in SOD activity (P < 0.01) as compared to normal pregnant women while no significant change was observed in catalase activity. These findings suggest increased oxidative stress and decreased detoxification or free radical scavenging capacity in pregnancy complicated by diabetes.

Auditory evoked responses in gestational diabetics.

Electrophysiological correlates of sensory function in diabetic pregnancy have not been documented. Present study reports changes in Auditory evoked responses (AER) in gestational diabetics when compared with normal pregnant controls. Human AER are generally classified into early Auditory brainstem responses (AER), Mid latency responses (MLR) and late Slow vertex responses (SVR). These potentials were recorded in 20 women with diabetic pregnancy using Ag/AgCl electrodes from Cz-A1 and Cz-A2 position on MEB 5200 Neuropack II ... plus (Nihon Kohden, Japan) Evoked Potential Recorder. The evoked potentials in gestational diabetics were compared with 20 age matched normal pregnant women using Student's t-test. Absolute latencies of waves I to V, Inter peak latencies I-III and I-V of ABR were significantly increased whereas amplitude of wave V decreased in diabetic pregnant women. No significant change in latency of any component of MLR was observed between the two groups whereas significant prolongation of latencies of all components of SVR was observed in diabetic pregnant women as compared to normal control group. These findings indicate prolongation of both peripheral transmission time (PTT) and central transmission time (CTT) in diabetic pregnant females. Prolongation of latencies of SVR components in this study implicates cortex in the central diabetic neuropathy in women with gestational diabetes.