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Glycated plasma proteins in normal and diabetic mothers and their offsprings
Insights
Glycated plasma proteins (GPP) show elevated levels in pregnant individuals with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and diabetes. However, GPP is not a reliable screening tool for IGT during pregnancy due to overlapping values.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Clinical Chemistry
- Reproductive Medicine
Background:
- Glycation of proteins, such as hemoglobin and plasma proteins, is a marker of glycemic control.
- Assessing glycated plasma proteins (GPP) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) can provide insights into glucose metabolism during pregnancy.
- Pregnancy involves physiological changes that can affect glucose tolerance and protein glycation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate glycated plasma proteins (GPP) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in pregnant women with varying glucose tolerance statuses.
- To determine the utility of GPP as a screening parameter for impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) during pregnancy.
- To compare maternal and fetal levels of protein glycosylation.
Main Methods:
- HbA1c and GPP levels were measured in non-diabetic (ND), potential abnormal glucose tolerance (pot.AGT), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and insulin-dependent diabetic (IDDM) pregnant or postpartum women.
- Cord blood samples were analyzed for GPP and HbA1c.
- Statistical analysis was performed to compare GPP and HbA1c levels across different glucose tolerance groups.
Main Results:
- Mean HbA1c was significantly higher in IDDM compared to ND individuals.
- Mean GPP levels were elevated in IDDM and IGT groups compared to ND and pot.AGT groups.
- A significant percentage of IGT and IDDM individuals had GPP values exceeding the normal range for non-diabetics, but considerable overlap existed.
Conclusions:
- While GPP levels are elevated in pregnant women with glucose intolerance, the overlap with normal ranges limits its use as a standalone screening test for IGT during pregnancy.
- Fetal protein glycosylation levels were found to be reduced compared to maternal values.
- Further research may be needed to identify reliable biomarkers for glucose intolerance in pregnancy.
Abstract:
Glycated plasma proteins (GPP) and glycated hemoglobin (G Hb) has been evaluated in 134 non-diabetics (ND), 299 women with potential abnormality of glucose tolerance (pot.AGT), 75 with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and 34 insulin dependent diabetics (IDDM) during pregnancy or postpartum including 94 cord blood determinations. Mean HbA1c levels were significantly elevated in IDDM (6.6 +/- 1.3% M +/- SD) compared to ND (5.1 +/- 0.7%; P less than 0.01), but were similar for the other groups studied. Mean GPP were increased for the IDDM (0.58 +/- 0.29 nmol 5- HMF/mg protein; M +/- SD) and the IGT-group (0.53 +/- 0.22) over ND (0.3 +/- 0.13; P less than 0.01) and the Pot.AGT group (0.37 +/- 0.14; P less than 0.01). 6% of the ND, 15% of the Pot AGT-, 52% of the IGT- and 62% of the IDDM group were found to have GPP values exceeding the 97% confidential limit of the ND. However, the large overlap of individual values from patients with different degrees of glucose intolerance with the normal range of pregnancy precludes the use of GPP as a screening parameter for IGT during pregnancy. A 30-35% reduction of fetal hemoglobin- and plasma protein glycosylation relative to maternal values was observed.