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Increased plasma pancreastatin-like levels in gestational diabetes: correlation with catecholamine levels
V Sánchez-Margalet1, J A Lobón, A González
1Department of Clinical Biochemistry, University Hospital Virgen Macarena, Seville, Spain. vsandhez@asterix.cica.es
Objective:
To investigate plasma pancreastatin (a chromogranin A-derived peptide) and catecholamine levels (counterregulatory hormones) in subjects with gestational diabetes compared with normal pregnant subjects.
Research Design And Methods:
Fasting blood samples were obtained from 11 normal pregnant and 12 nonobese gestational diabetic subjects at late pregnancy (30+/-1 weeks). Selection criteria were those recommended by the National Diabetes Data Group (modified from O'Sullivan original criteria). Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, pancreastatin-like, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were measured.
Results:
Gestational diabetic subjects had significantly higher insulin levels than control pregnant subjects (18+/-1 vs. 15+/-1 microU/ml), whereas glucose and glucagon levels where comparable in the two groups. However, increased catecholamine levels (epinephrine and norepinephrine) were found in the gestational diabetic group. We also found increased pancreastatin-like levels in these patients compared with the pregnant control group (46+/-2 vs. 30+/-2 pmol/l). Actually, pancreastatin levels positively correlated with both epinephrine (r = 0.34) and norepinephrine (r = 0.80) levels.
Conclusions:
Catecholamine and pancreastatin-like levels were found elevated in gestational diabetic subjects. These counterregulatory hormones may play a role in the insulin resistance syndrome of gestational diabetes.