Relationship of Metabolic Syndrome Indicators in Gestational Diabetes with Adiponectin Levels

OBJECTIVE: To assess the relationship between MetS in gestational diabetes with adiponectin. METHODOLOGY: This analytical cross-sectional study was carried out from February 2015 - January 2016 at Gynecology and Obstetrics OPDs in four public and one private tertiary care hospital in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. Purposive sampling was done. Group one comprised 100 healthy pregnant women, while the second group included 100 pregnant women with known gestational diabetes. Women in the third trimester, with a single fetus, and who did not have pre-existing diabetes mellitus were Included. Women in the first or second trimester, with twin (or more fetuses) pregnancies, and pre-existing diabetes were excluded. BMI and systolic and diastolic blood pressure of participants were recorded. Blood was tested for serum lipids, HbA1c, and serum adiponectin levels. RESULTS: Thirty percent of participants had a BMI >= 30 kg/m2. Forty-three percent of participants had HbA1c >= 6.5%. HDL levels were below normal in 30% of participants, and triglyceride levels were higher than average in about 80%. Systolic Blood Pressure was elevated in 23% of participants, and adiponectin level was low in >60% of cases. BMI was not statistically different between both groups. HDL levels and adiponectin levels were lower than normal in the diabetic group. Triglyceride levels were high in both groups. Regression analysis showed that adiponectin levels were affected by HbA1c and low HDL levels, and vice versa. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 20. CONCLUSION: Low adiponectin levels could predict two MetS indicators in gestational diabetes and vice versa.