Is There Any Relationship between Plasma Pentraxin 3 Levels and Gestational Diabetes Mellitus?

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a novel vascular inflammatory marker which increases in vascular events such as diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum PTX3 levels and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

This prospective observational study was comprised of 88 pregnant women with singleton pregnancies. The subjects were classified into 3 groups according to their response to a 50-gram glucose challenge test (GCT) and a 100-gram oral glucose tolerance test: control group (n = 28), impaired glucose tolerance group (n = 30), and GDM group (n = 30). Serum PTX3 levels were measured to examine the relationship between GDM and GCT values.

Significant differences in PTX3 levels were observed among the 3 groups in the sample (F = 7.598; p = 0.001). The mean PTX3 value was found to be significantly higher in the GDM group (3.17 ± 1.16 ng/ml) than in the control group (2.20 ± 0.83 ng/ml; p = 0.001). A significant positive correlation between PTX3 and GCT values was detected (r = 0.289; p = 0.008).

Maternal serum PTX3 levels were found to be significantly related to high blood glucose levels. This may be an indicator of vascular pathology in GDM around the time of an oral glucose tolerance test.