Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Gestational diabetes (GDM) is characterized by insulin resistance and a pro-inflammatory state, both factors possible related to adipokine expression. In our study we have endeavoured to assess serum levels of insulin-sensitising omentin and pro-inflammatory thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in GDM.

Subjects and methods: The study included 20 women with GDM, diagnosed according to the WHO criteria, age 29.7±5.5 (mean±S.D.), BMI 28.1±4.7 kg/m² and 23 controls matched for age (28.3±3.9 years), and BMI (28.3±4.8 kg/m²). Omentin and TSP-1 were measured by ELISA assays. Insulin resistance was assessed by HOMA and Insulin Resistance Index (IRI) that takes into account glucose and insulin levels during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT).

Results: There were no differences in fasting glucose levels between women with GDM and controls (76.9±8.2 vs 78.9±6.5 mg/dl (conversion: 1 mmol/l=18 mg/dl). As expected, women with GDM had significantly higher glucose (162.9±16.6 vs 117.0±15.7 mg/dl, P<0.01, and insulin levels 93.48±59.11 vs 59.91±32.47 μU/ml, P=0.016, at 120 min of OGTT). There were no significant differences in omentin and TSP-1 levels between subjects with GDM and controls (48.0±12.0 vs 50.2±7.9 ng/ml and 2150±1661 vs 1569±1160 ng/ml, P=0.64 and P=0.29, for omentin and TSP-1 in GDM and control subjects, respectively). There was no significant correlation between either omentin or TSP-1 with HOMA or IRI, however, there was a significant positive correlation between thrombospondin-1 and omentin (r=0.49, P=0.010).

Conclusions: Concentrations of novel adipokines i.e. omentin and thrombospondin-1 seem to be inter-related in pregnancy, however, in contrast to the data from non-pregnant individuals, there are no differences in serum levels between women with normal glucose tolerance and those with glucose intolerance, characteristic for gestational diabetes. These observations suggest that regulation of concentrations of these adipokines in pregnancy is mediated though different mechanisms than in non-pregnant subjects.