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Circulating apelin levels are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in women with previous gestational diabetes

  • Maternal-Fetal Medicine
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

Women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM) are at high risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. In this study, we aimed to compare plasma apelin levels between women with and without pGDM, and to investigate the possible association of apelin with cardiometabolic risk factors.

Methods

Among 252 consecutive Caucasian women with GDM being included in a prospective postpartum follow-up protocol, 141 women eligible for the study protocol were enrolled. Control group consisted of 49 age- and body mass index-matched healthy women without pGDM. Circulating apelin, IL-6 and plasminogen activator inhibitor levels, and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) were measured. To evaluate carbohydrate intolerance, 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was performed. Fasting insulin and lipids were measured, and homeostasis model assessment index was calculated.

Results

Plasma apelin levels were reduced in women with pGDM (p < 0.001). In multiple regression analysis, apelin was negatively associated with fasting (r 2 0.090, β −0.273, p = 0.001) and post-load glucose (r 2 0.061, β −0.187, p = 0.022), serum IL-6 (r 2 0.082, β −0.234, p = 0.002), and carotid IMT (r 2 0.057, β −0.168, p = 0.033).

Conclusions

Our results suggested that suppressed apelin levels were associated with increased cardiovascular risk in women with pGDM.

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no competing financial interests.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Izmir University, Izmir, Turkey

    Baris Akinci

  2. Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

    Baris Akinci & Firat Bayraktar

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

    Aygul Celtik

  4. Division of Hematology, Department of Internal Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

    Sunay Tunali, Faize Yuksel & Mehmet Ali Ozcan

  5. Department of Radiology, Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir, Turkey

    Sinan Genc & Mustafa Secil

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  1. Baris Akinci
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  2. Aygul Celtik
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  3. Sunay Tunali
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  4. Sinan Genc
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Correspondence to Baris Akinci.

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Akinci, B., Celtik, A., Tunali, S. et al. Circulating apelin levels are associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in women with previous gestational diabetes. Arch Gynecol Obstet 289, 787–793 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-013-3070-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-013-3070-y

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