Circulating irisin is lower in gestational diabetes mellitus

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Metabolic Disorders
• Exercise Physiology

Background:

• Irisin, a newly identified myokine, has shown varied concentrations in previous studies of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
• Limited sample sizes in prior research contribute to a wide range of reported serum/plasma irisin levels in GDM patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To precisely determine the confidence interval of circulating irisin in Chinese participants with GDM.
• To validate findings through a comprehensive meta-analysis comparing irisin levels in GDM patients and healthy controls.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study measured serum irisin in 61 newly diagnosed GDM patients and 61 matched healthy controls.
• A meta-analysis was conducted using data from Medline, PubMed, and EMBase, including 5 studies with 632 participants.
• Statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager 5.2.

Main Results:

• The cross-sectional study revealed significantly lower serum irisin levels in GDM patients compared to controls.
• The meta-analysis, encompassing 632 participants, indicated a statistically significant lower level of irisin in GDM patients (-58.68 ng/mL; 95% CI: -113.42, -3.93; P=0.04).

Conclusions:

• This combined cross-sectional and meta-analysis provides the first evidence of significantly lower circulating irisin in individuals with GDM.
• Reduced irisin levels may serve as a potential biomarker for gestational diabetes mellitus.