A Meta-Analysis of Differences in Thyroid and Cardiac Function Between Women with Normal Pregnancies and Gestational...

This is a meta-analysis of thyroid function (TF) and cardiac function (CF) differences between women with normal pregnancies and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), in order to provide more reliable reference and guidance for the future clinical prevention and treatment of GDM.

Studies on the correlation of GDM with TF and CF were searched in PubMed, Cochrane Library, and other literature databases, and the literature for final analysis was confirmed after screening according to the eligibility criteria. Authors, publication time, research subjects, and endpoints were extracted for meta-analysis using Review 5.3 software.

After screening, 10 studies with a total of 2554 subjects were selected, including 1125 GDM patients (GDM group) and 1429 normal pregnant women (control group). All the included papers scored 6-7 points on the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale used for literature quality evaluation, implying high-quality research. In the meta-analysis, the relationship between GDM and TF, TSH, and FT3 increased evidently in the GDM group, while FT4 decreased (P < .05). The meta-analysis of GDM and CF revealed lower LVEF and E/A while higher E/E' in GDM patients compared to the controls (P < .05). The funnel plot showed that the graphs of all the endpoints were basically symmetrical, indicating low publication bias.

Given the obvious thyroid dysfunction and cardiac dysfunction in GDM patients, symptomatic intervention measures should be taken actively and timely to improve the safety of GDM patients during pregnancy.