Association between serum adropin levels and gestational diabetes mellitus; a case-control study

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is increasing worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum adropin concentration and GDM. In a case-control study, conducted in 2013, 40 pregnant women with GDM and 40 healthy pregnant women (controls) were evaluated. Fasting serum adropin and lipid concentration were measured during 24th-28th weeks of gestation for both groups. These factors were compared between the two groups using independent sample t-test. There was a significant difference in adropin levels between the two groups and mean adropin levels were lower in GDM group (p: 0.016). There was no significant correlation between serum adropin levels and body mass index as well as fasting blood glucose (FBS) or serum lipid profile including high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, cholesterol and triglyceride concentration (p > 0.05). There was a significant association between adropin concentration and GDM even after using regression model for removing confounding factors (odds ratio = 0.681). Low serum adropin concentration is associated with GDM in Iranian pregnant women.