Does adiponectin play a role in gestational diabetes?

Abstract

Current literature provides contradictory information on the role of adiponectin (AdipoQ) in the course of gestational diabetes (GDM). The aim of the study was to measure AdipoQ concentration in blood of women with GDM and to find relationships between this adipokine and clinical and biochemical parameters. The study group included 50 women diagnosed with GDM between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation who underwent routine prenatal tests for GDM in compliance with the guidelines of the Polish Diabetes Association. All patients underwent clinical and laboratory evaluation at GDM diagnosis. Laboratory tests included serum AdipoQ concentration, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, OGTT and lipid parameters in serum. AdipoQ concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups during gestation (p=0.7054). In the subgroup (2h glucose level in the OGTT 200 mg/dl) the concentration of AdipoQ tended to be decreased as compared to the remaining patients from the study and control groups, though the decline was insignificant (p=0.0541). The concentration of AdipoQ in the subgroup was about 20% lower than in the other patients from the study group. No correlations, except with the neonatal weight (r= - 0.29, p<0.05), were found between AdipoQ and the studied parameters. The GDM group showed significantly elevated fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR values, total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglicerydes, as compared with the control group (p.05). These results lead to the conclusion that women with newly diagnosed and promptly treated GDM have normal adiponectin level. A negative correlation between AdipoQ level and the birth weight may suggest that this adipokine plays a role in the control of the birth weight especially in the incidence of macrosomia. 2013 © Curr. Issues Pharm. Med. Sci.