Plasma cystatin-C and risk of developing gestational diabetes mellitus

Cystatin-C, a low molecular weight protein, is effectively applied to evaluate the risk of developing renal insufficiency, cardiovascular disorders, neural defects, and inflammatory states. However, the role of this biomarker to monitor different pregnancy-related complications remains controversial.

In the present study, we compared serum cystatin-C concentration between pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and healthy pregnant women to assess value of this biomarker to predict presence of GDM in these women. The study consisted of 60 consecutive pregnant women (30 women suffered GDM and 30 healthy pregnant women) enrolled in Afzalipour hospital in Kerman, Iran in 2012. Fasting blood sample was collected to perform measurements on plasma glucose, lipids, serum creatinine, and C-cystatin. Serum cystatin-C level was quantified using ELISA techniques.

Unadjusted comparison of cystatin-C level between the two study group showed no significant discrepancy between them so that the level of this biomarker in GDM group was 593.00±204.81 mg/L and in healthy group was 531.67±87.52 mg/L (P=0.137); while in multivariable linear model with the presence of associated variables, GDM was a main determinant for increased level of cystatin-C (standardized beta of 0.355, P-value of 0.014).

Gestational age was also identified to be another indicator of elevated cystatin-C. In final, our study showed that cystatin-C can be a reliable, useful and promising marker of GDM appearance in pregnant women.