Maternal exposure to traffic-related ambient particles and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus with isolated fasting hyperglycaemia: A retrospective cohort study in Beijing, China.

BACKGROUND

Ambient particles have been associated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), however, no study has evaluated the effects of traffic-related ambient particles on the risks of GDM subgroups classified by oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) values.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis was conducted among 24,001 pregnant women who underwent regular prenatal care and received OGTT at Haidian Maternal and Child Health Hospital in Beijing, China, 2014-2017. A total of 3,168 (13.2%) pregnant women were diagnosed with GDM, including 1,206 with isolated fasting hyperglycaemia (GDM-IFH). At a fixed-location monitoring station, routinely monitored ambient particles included fine particulate matter (PM), black carbon (BC) and particles in size ranges of 5-560 nm (PNC). Contributions of PNC sources were apportioned by positive matrix factorization model. Logistic regression model was applied to estimate odds ratio (OR) of ambient particles on GDM risk.

RESULTS

Among the 24,001 pregnancy women recruited in this study, 3,168 (13.2%) were diagnosed with GDM, including 1,206 with isolated fasting hyperglycaemia (GDM-IFH) and 1,295 with isolated post-load hyperglycaemia (GDM-IPH). We observed increased GDM-IFH risk with per interquartile range increase in first-trimester exposures to PM (OR = 1.94; 95% Confidence Intervals: 1.23-3.07), BC (OR = 2.14; 1.73-2.66) and PNC (OR = 2.46; 1.90-3.19). PNC originated from diesel and gasoline vehicle emissions were found in associations with increases in GDM-IFH risk, but not in GDM-IPH risk.

CONCLUSION

Our findings suggest that exposure to traffic-related ambient particles may increase GDM risk by exerting adverse effects on fasting glucose levels during pregnancy, and support continuing efforts to reduce traffic emissions for protecting vulnerable population who are at greater risk of glucose metabolism disorder.