Objective: To evaluate whether gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) requiring insulin treatment (White's classification A2) is associated with an alteration of pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A) serum levels at first-trimester screening between 11 and 14 weeks of gestation.
Methods: We collected data (2007-2010) of all women who developed GDM requiring insulin treatment and completed first-trimester combined screening program including the determination of serum PAPP-A and free β-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG). A total of 288 women were included in this study. Each of the 72 women who developed GDM was matched with three unaffected controls.
Results: Women with GDM were significantly older (34.2 ± 5.9 vs. 32.3 ± 5.5 years, P = 0.007) and delivered significantly earlier (38.40 ± 2.25 vs. 39.1 ± 2.2 gestational weeks, P = 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed, that PAPP-A and β-hCG were independently associated with each other (P = 0.04) but there was no association between GDM/no GDM and the first-trimester serum markers (P = 0.77).
Conclusion: Our data suggest that women who are developing GDM needing insulin treatment do not have altered PAPP-A levels at 11-14 weeks.