Raised plasma adiponectin levels in type 1 diabetic pregnancies

Adiponectin has antidiabetic properties. Our aim was to determine plasma adiponectin levels during pregnancy and postpartum (PP), in women with type 1 diabetic mellitus (T1DM) and nondiabetic (ND) women.

Fasting plasma adiponectin and leptin levels were measured in 20 ND and 19 T1DM women, at 20 and 30 weeks' gestation, and 9 months' PP. Insulin measurements were made in ND women.

In both groups, after accounting for body mass index (BMI), leptin levels increased during pregnancy (P < 0.01) and were significantly higher than PP (P < 0.001). However, no significant differences in leptin levels were noted between both groups at any stage (P = 0.46). Conversely, adiponectin levels were higher in T1DM at all stages of the study (P < 0.001). A significant fall in adiponectin levels was seen between 20 and 30 weeks' gestation in both groups (ND: P < 0.001; T1DM: P < 0.05); however, this decrease was attenuated in the T1DM group. Adiponectin levels PP were significantly higher than at 30 weeks (ND: P < 0.001; T1DM: P < 0.001). Furthermore, in T1DM, adiponectin appeared to correlate negatively with leptin, but only reached significance PP (r = -0.46, P < 0.001). In the ND group, adiponectin correlated negatively with both leptin (PP: r = -0.56, P < 0.0001) and insulin (P < 0.005).

Higher adiponectin levels were noted in T1DM throughout gestation compared to ND pregnancies, with no difference in leptin levels. The significance of these findings needs to be determined.