title: Haptoglobin phenotype and gestational diabetes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Haptoglobin (Hp), an Hb-binding plasma protein, exists in two major allelic variants. Hp1 has higher Hb binding and antioxidant capacity compared with Hp2. Individuals with Hp1 exhibit a lower incidence of angiopathies. Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an early manifestation of type 2 diabetes in pregnant women. It is usually confined to the time of gestation, but carries an increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.
  
  
  METHODS
  From consecutive Caucasian pregnant women (n = 250) referred for oral glucose tolerance testing, the Hp phenotype was determined. Significance of distribution and odds ratios (ORs) associated with Hp phenotype were calculated for women with GDM (n = 110) and women with normal glucose tolerance (n = 140).
  
  
  RESULTS
  -Frequency of GDM in Hp phenotype classes increased with the number of Hp2 alleles (P < 0.001). ORs for GDM in women heterozygous and homozygous for Hp2 were 2.7 (95% CI 1.06-6.84) and 4.2 (1.67-10.55), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hp phenotype is an apparent risk factor for the development of GDM in our study population. This might be due to the low antioxidative potential of Hp2 compared with Hp1.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics, Wien, Währingergürtel, Austria.
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vukovich
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Prikoszovich
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Winzer
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.forename: Harald
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Esterbauer
authors.forename: Oswald
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kautzky-Willer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001317:Austria; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010641:Phenotype; D011247:Pregnancy; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins