Raised plasma adiponectin levels in type 1 diabetic pregnancies.

OBJECTIVES

Adiponectin has antidiabetic properties. Our aim was to determine plasma adiponectin levels during pregnancy and postpartum (PP), in women with type 1 diabetic mellitus (T1DM) and nondiabetic (ND) women.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fasting plasma adiponectin and leptin levels were measured in 20 ND and 19 T1DM women, at 20 and 30 weeks' gestation, and 9 months' PP. Insulin measurements were made in ND women.

RESULTS

In both groups, after accounting for body mass index (BMI), leptin levels increased during pregnancy (P < 0.01) and were significantly higher than PP (P < 0.001). However, no significant differences in leptin levels were noted between both groups at any stage (P = 0.46). Conversely, adiponectin levels were higher in T1DM at all stages of the study (P < 0.001). A significant fall in adiponectin levels was seen between 20 and 30 weeks' gestation in both groups (ND: P < 0.001; T1DM: P < 0.05); however, this decrease was attenuated in the T1DM group. Adiponectin levels PP were significantly higher than at 30 weeks (ND: P < 0.001; T1DM: P < 0.001). Furthermore, in T1DM, adiponectin appeared to correlate negatively with leptin, but only reached significance PP (r = -0.46, P < 0.001). In the ND group, adiponectin correlated negatively with both leptin (PP: r = -0.56, P < 0.0001) and insulin (P < 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

Higher adiponectin levels were noted in T1DM throughout gestation compared to ND pregnancies, with no difference in leptin levels. The significance of these findings needs to be determined.