Moderate iodine deficiency among pregnant women in Hong Kong: revisit the problem after two decades.

INTRODUCTION: A survey conducted during 2005 to 2007 by the Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong suggested that only 5% of the local population had a sufficient dietary intake of iodine. The study, however, was limited as biochemical data (ie urinary iodine concentration) were lacking. Pregnant women are vulnerable to iodine deficiency because of their increased requirement. Recent studies have shown that iodine deficiency in early pregnancy is associated with poorer cognitive development in early childhood. This study reports the iodine status of women during early gestation at an obstetric unit in Hong Kong. METHODS: Healthy pregnant women with no history of hyperemesis gravidarum were enrolled into a study when they first made a booking in an antenatal clinic of a public hospital to investigate their iodine status during early pregnancy. All subjects were asked to collect their morning urine for measurement of iodine and creatinine levels. Daily dietary intake of iodine was assessed in a subgroup of participants by structured interview using a standard food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 600 pregnant women were enrolled at a median of 7.0 weeks of gestation. The median urinary iodine concentration and urinary iodine-to-creatinine ratio were 100 µg/L and 98 µg/g, respectively; 429 (71.5%) participants had iodine insufficiency according to the World Health Organization classification. Daily dietary intake of iodine was assessed in 146 participants. The median daily intake of iodine was 69.5 µg and 122 (83.6%) participants had an intake below the 250 µg recommended during pregnancy by the World Health Organization. CONCLUSIONS: Local pregnant women continue to have an inadequate dietary intake of iodine and remain iodine-deficient.

PP103. Arterial stiffness in women with previous GDM - A follow up of Chinese HAPO study cohort.

INTRODUCTION: It is well known that women with history of gestational diabetes (GDM) are at risk of future DM. Whether they are at a higher risk of hypertension and cardiovascular risk remained to be determined. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether Chinese women who have been diagnosed GDM according to the new IADPSG criteria have a higher risk of hypertension & arterial stiffness than women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) during pregnancy. METHODS: Chinese women who had participated in the HAPO study between 2001 and 2006 in Hong Kong were followed up at a median of 6years postpartum. All underwent anthropometric & BP measurements. Central systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP & DBP), augmentation index (AI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were assessed by using SphygmoCor(®) PVx.A total of 608 women (494 NGT, 114 GDM) were followed up till early 2012. RESULTS: Although there was no significant difference in the rate of hypertension, the central SBP (106±12 vs 102±13mmHg, p=0.03), AI (22.1±8.3 vs 18.9±8.5%, p<0.001) and PWV (6.8±1.0 vs 6.6±0.8, p=0.03) were all higher in women with history of GDM. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest a higher risk of subclinical atherosclerosis amongst women with GDM despite the blood pressure may appear normal at the time of follow up.