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Perinatal hyperinsulinism and perinatal obesity as risk factors for hyperinsulinaemia in later life
1Clinic for Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Berlin-Kaulsdorf, GDR.
Insights
Offspring of diabetic mothers may experience persistent hyperinsulinism and obesity. These conditions, linked to early life measurements, increase risks for diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Perinatal Medicine
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Maternal diabetes during pregnancy can impact offspring development.
- Perinatal hyperinsulinism and obesity are potential consequences for infants born to diabetic mothers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the long-term correlations between early life metabolic and anthropometric markers in offspring of diabetic mothers.
- To identify perinatal risk factors for persistent hyperinsulinemia and associated long-term health risks.
Main Methods:
- Correlational analysis of plasma insulin levels and neck skin-fold thickness in neonates.
- Longitudinal assessment of plasma insulin levels following glucose loading at 2 years of age.
- Correlation of early life measurements with fasting plasma insulin levels in later childhood (3-8 years).
Main Results:
- Weak correlation between day 1 insulin and day 3 neck-fold thickness (r=0.27, P<0.05).
- Significant correlations found between birth insulin levels and insulin response at 2 years (basal r=0.53, P<0.01; maximal r=0.63, P<0.01).
- Strong correlation between 3-day neck-fold thickness and fasting insulin at 3-8 years (r=0.61, P<0.001).
Conclusions:
- Perinatal hyperinsulinism and obesity in offspring of diabetic mothers are linked to maternal hyperglycemia and/or overnutrition.
- These perinatal factors are significant risk factors for persistent hyperinsulinemia.
- Persistent hyperinsulinemia predisposes individuals to later-life diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease.
Abstract:
In the offspring of gestational or long-term diabetic mothers the following findings were obtained: (1) Immunoreactive plasma insulin levels on the first day of life were weakly correlated to the thickness of the skin-fold at the neck on the third day of life (n = 82; r = 0.27; P less than 0.05). (2) A significant correlation was found between the plasma insulin levels at birth and the basal as well as the maximal plasma insulin values after glucose loading (1.75 g/kg b. wt.) at 2 years of age (for basal values: n = 25; r = 0.53; P less than 0.01; and for maximal values: n = 21; r = 0.63; P less than 0.01). (3) A highly significant correlation was even observed between the thickness of the neck-fold at 3 days of age and the fasting plasma insulin levels at 3-8 years of age (n = 26; r = 0.61; P less than 0.001). These findings suggest that perinatal hyperinsulinism and perinatal obesity, induced by maternal hyperglycaemia and/or overnutrition during pregnancy, are risk factors for persistent hyperinsulinaemia predisposing to diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease in later life.