Exploring Interleukin 6 as a Promising Marker for The Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a condition in which the ability of the mother's pancreatic β-cells to function properly is compromised. This leads to inadequate insulin production and, therefore, poor glucose regulation throughout pregnancy. In recent years, there has been a significant surge in interest in determining the impact of inflammation on the progression of GDM. Inflammatory factors may function as antagonists to insulin and induce insulin resistance. Interleukin -6 (IL-6), a kind of cytokine, significantly impacts the development of glucose intolerance and may be used as a possible indicator in the blood for early detection of glucose intolerance. This study aims to assess the potential role of IL6 as a prospective diagnostic marker for Gestational Diabetes mellitus. Our study is a case-control study started from September 2022 to June 2023 and enrolled 200 pregnant women aged between 15 and 45 years; cases included 100 patients selectively collected with a confirmed diagnosis of gestational diabetes mellitus in Kerbala obstetrics and gynecology hospital, and the control group included 100 healthy pregnant women also gathered from the obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Kerbala governorate. Results show that the mean of Interleukin 6 was significantly higher in pregnant women with GDM, with p-values of 0.05 and 0.001. these results suggest that Interleukin6 (IL6) can be used as a prospective diagnostic marker for GDM.