Correlation between atherogenic risk and adiponectin in gestational diabetes mellitus

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a pregnancy complication which increases the risk for maternal and foetal complications during pregnancy, and also significantly increases the cardiovascular risk for women's health in the postpartum. Current literature provides contradictory information on the role of adiponectin (AdipoQ) in the course of GDM. The aim of the study was to measure AdipoQ concentration in blood of women with GDM and to find correlations between this adipokine and clinical and biochemical parameters of the atherogenic risk.

The GDM group included 50 women diagnosed with GDM between 24 - 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 and insulin, OGTT, lipid parameters, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen in serum.

The GDM group showed significantly elevated fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR values, total cholesterol, LDLcholesterol and triglicerydes as compared with the control group (p<0.05). The atherogenic index, CRP, fibrinogen in women with GDM were significantly higher than in the control group (p<0.05). AdipoQ concentrations did not differ significantly between the groups during gestation (p=0.7054). No correlations, except with the neonatal weight (r= - 0.29, p<0.05), were found between AdipoQ and the studied parameters.

Based on the conducted studies, it may be conclude that women with early diagnosed and promptly treated GDM have a normal adiponectin level, although insulin resistant changes and increased cardiovascular risk in basic metabolic parameters are observed. Moreover, adiponectin does not reflect the atherogenic risk in pregnant women with GDM.