Glycemic control by insulin reduces erythrocyte aggregation in gestational diabetes

Objective: We evaluated the effects of insulin treatment on blood theology in gestational diabetes. Methods: We measured erythrocyte aggregation, fibrinogenemia, hematocrit, and glycosylated hemoglobin in 112 pregnant women with gestational diabetes (mean age, 31 years; range, 24-40) and 90 normoglycemic pregnant controls at 28-34 weeks of gestation. The diagnosis of gestational diabetes was based on the altered response to an oral glucose challenge test. Patients underwent dietary treatment, and glycemia was checked after meals. If 2-h postprandial plasma glucose exceeded 120 mg/dl, to obtain euglycemia (fasting plasma glucose >60 and