Gestational Diabetes increases risk of asthma exacerbation in pregnancy: Study

A recent study published in The Journal of Allergy and
Clinical Immunology: In Practice found that gestational diabetes mellitus is
associated with asthma exacerbations in pregnancy.

Pregnancy is associated with an increased risk of asthma and
gestational diabetes mellitus globally. Research shows that 13% of pregnancies develop
asthma, and 14% of pregnancies develop gestational diabetes mellitus. Both
these conditions are associated with adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes.
However, there is ambiguity on how gestational diabetes affects asthma in
pregnancy. Hence, Cleveland and Mayo Clinic researchers conducted a study to evaluate
whether GDM is associated with an increased risk of asthma exacerbations during
pregnancy and the first year postpartum.

Also Read: Periodontal Disease may predict Metabolic Syndrome in Women at Prior High Risk for Gestational Diabetes, finds study

A retrospective cohort study analyzed electronic health
records of pregnant asthma patients from 2010-2023. Pregnant women with
pre-existing diabetes mellitus or concurrent chronic lung diseases were
excluded from the study. Pregnant women who participated in the study were
considered to have Asthma exacerbation when they needed an oral corticosteroid
(OCS) prescription. Multivariable logistic regression and zero-inflated Poisson
regression were used to adjust for age, race, body mass index (BMI),
pre-pregnancy asthma exacerbation history, and insurance status.

Findings:

  • Among 10985 individuals, 1492 had GDM.
  • Old age and high BMIs were seen in Patients with
    GDM.
  • Increased asthma exacerbations were seen in
    individuals with GDM during pregnancy (adjusted OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.10-1.67) but
    not postpartum.
  • The doubling of blood glucose levels doubled the
    risk of asthma exacerbations during pregnancy as seen in the Stratified
    analyses of 4331 individuals with gestational blood glucose measurement (adjusted
    OR of 2.02, 95% CI 1.45–2.81).
  • Pre-pregnancy asthma exacerbations and older age
    were also associated with asthma exacerbation.
Also Read: Healthy Mediterranean Diet with low persistent organic pollutants reduces Diabetes risk in Pregnant women: Study

Thus, the study concluded that gestational diabetes in
pregnancy increased the risk of asthma exacerbations. The study emphasizes the importance
of Early and universal screening for GDM in pregnant individuals with
pre-existing asthma to identify individuals with exacerbations.

Multidisciplinary care with tailored treatment approaches
helps achieve better glycemic control and control asthma exacerbations.
Educating pregnant individuals, identifying high-risk individuals, and
implementing preventive measures helps mitigate adverse outcomes.

Further reading: Zhang P, Lappen JR, Attaway A, et al.
Asthma Exacerbation Risk in Pregnancy and Postpartum: Assessing the Impact of
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Other Key Factors. J Allergy Clin
Immunol Pract. Published online December 19, 2024.
doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2024.12.013.

Facebook Comments