Gestational diabetes has no additional effect on plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor antigen levels beyond pregnancy

Pregnancy is a prothrombotic condition with increased levels of several circulating coagulation factors. Decreased fibrinolytic activity has been shown in gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes has been found to be associated with higher plasma plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) antigen levels than normal pregnancy. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of gestational diabetes on plasma thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor (TAFI) antigen levels.Plasma TAFI and PAI-1 antigen levels were measured in 26 pregnant women with gestational diabetes, 25 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance, and age-matched 24 non-pregnant women with no history of gestational diabetes.Increased plasma TAFI antigen levels were found in pregnant women compared to non-pregnant controls. However, no statistically significant difference in TAFI antigen levels was observed between women with gestational diabetes and pregnant controls. Plasma PAI-1 antigen levels were higher in gestational diabetes than pregnant and non-pregnant controls.Our study revealed that pregnancy was associated with elevated plasma TAFI antigen levels. However, no additional effect of gestational diabetes was found on plasma TAFI antigen levels beyond pregnancy. We suggest that pregnancy is associated with enhanced coagulation and impaired fibrinolysis. Despite increased PAI-1 antigen levels associated with gestational diabetes, the effect of gestational diabetes on TAFI antigen levels is lacking.