Pre-eclampsia is a potent risk factor for deterioration of retinopathy during pregnancy in Type 1 diabetic patients

Monica Lövestam Adrian, Carl-David Agardh, Anders E Åberg, Elisabet Agardh

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to examine the influence of pregnancy on deterioration of retinopathy in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. Sixty-five pregnant Type 1 diabetic women attending the University Hospital in Lund were studied retrospectively. The degree of retinopathy, and levels of HbA1c and blood pressure 12 months before, during, and 6 months after pregnancy were compared of those of 56 non-pregnant Type 1 diabetic women matched for age and duration of diabetes. For all patients, sight-threatening deterioration of retinopathy did not differ between the pregnancy group (9/65) and the control group (6/56). Over time, pregnant patients had lower HbA1c levels than controls (p < 0.001). Pregnant patients with sight-threatening deterioration of retinopathy had higher HbA1c levels than those without (p = 0.028 and the decrement in HbA1c between the 6-14th and the 20th week of gestation was more pronounced (p = 0.006). In those patients who developed pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, deterioration of retinopathy ocurred more frequently compared to those without pre-eclampsia (4/8 vs 5/65; p = 0.005). In conclusion, sight-threatening deterioration of retinopathy was not more common during pregnancy in IDDM patients than among age- and duration-matched control patients. In pregnant patients, deterioration of retinopathy was associated with the pregestational degree of metabolic control as well as with a rapidly improved glycaemic control acheived during pregnancy. Among those in whom deterioration occurred during pregnancy, pre-eclampsia was a potent risk factor.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1059-1065
JournalDiabetic Medicine
Volume14
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1997

Bibliographical note

The information about affiliations in this record was updated in December 2015.
The record was previously connected to the following departments: Ophthalmology (Lund) (013043000), Unit on Vascular Diabetic Complications (013241510), Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (Lund) (013018000)

Subject classification (UKÄ)

  • Endocrinology and Diabetes

Free keywords

  • pre-eclampsia
  • pregnancy
  • retinopathy
  • type 1 diabetes

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