Title:Impact of Seasonality on Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Volume: 17
Issue: 3
Author(s): Eusebio Chiefari, Ida Pastore, Luigi Puccio, Patrizia Caroleo, Rosa Oliverio, Anna Vero, Daniela P. Foti, Raffaella Vero and Antonio Brunetti*
Affiliation:
- Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, Viale Europa (Localita Germaneto), 88100 Catanzaro,Italy
Keywords:
Gestational diabetes mellitus, OGTT, seasonality, GDM screening, type 2 diabetes mellitus, glycemia.
Abstract: Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major health concern that seems
to be influenced by seasonality.
Objective: To assess the impact of seasonality on the incidence of GDM in an Italian population.
Method: This is a retrospective cohort study of 5,473 pregnant women attending the Operative Unit
of Diabetes, who underwent GDM screening by means of the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test
(OGTT), during the period from August 2011 to December 2016. Screening was performed at 16-18
or 24-28 weeks' gestation, following the Health Italian Minister guidelines. All blood samples were
undertaken in the Hospital itself, under the same temperature conditions, and analyzed in the nearby
biochemical laboratory. Statistical analysis was performed by SPSS software.
Results: 1,559 of 5,473 enrolled women (28.5%) were affected by GDM. The incidence of GDM
was significantly higher during the summer season (33.7%) (P<0.001), and significantly lower during
the winter (23.3%), compared with spring (P=0.035) and fall seasons (P=0.002). When the year
was divided on a 24-hr temperature basis into two parts only, the warm half and the cold half, GDM
was considerably lower in cold months compared to warm ones (P<0.0001). No difference was
observed between the medians of fasting glycemia throughout the four seasons; instead, serum
glucose levels at 1-h and 2-h after OGTT were higher in summer than in spring, autumn and winter.
Results from multiple linear regression analysis supported the hypothesis that glucose levels at 1-h
and 2-h following OGTT could be influenced by ambient temperature.
Conclusion: Our data indicate that seasonal changes may influence variations in glucose tolerance
during pregnancy, with GDM incidence increasing during the summer and declining during cold
months.
