Elevated zinc protoporphyrin/heme ratios in umbilical cord blood after diabetic pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Offspring of diabetes patients may suffer from tissue iron deficiency. Erythrocyte zinc protoporphyrin/heme (ZnPP/H) ratios measure impaired iron status. The aim of the study was to examine whether cord ZnPP/H ratios were associated with pregnancy glycemic control.


METHODS
ZnPP/H was measured in cord blood from 31 pregnancies with insulin-treated diabetes (diabetes group) and compared to population normal values. Maternal glycemic control was assessed by daily glucose log, glycosylated hemoglobin and birth weight.


RESULTS
Median cord ZnPP/H was higher in the diabetes group than the population normal values (106 (65.2 to 146.8) microM/M vs 68.2 (37.6 to 98.8) micro/M, P < 0.0001). Ratios were directly correlated to surrogates of control (glycosylated hemoglobin, P = 0.05, and birth weight, P < 0.04). Cord ZnPP/H ratios from pregnancies with pre-existing and gestational diabetes were similar.


CONCLUSIONS
Because cord ZnPP/H was higher in large offspring of diabetic pregnancy, it might identify greater iron utilization for fetal erythropoiesis.
Lesser
K B
KB
Department of Obstetrics, The University of Arizona Health Sciences Center, Tucson, AZ, USA.
Schoel
S B
SB
Kling
P J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000737:chemistry; D006418:Heme / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D000090463:Iron Deficiencies; D011247:Pregnancy; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000097:blood*; D011524:Protoporphyrins / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D011524:Protoporphyrins; C017803:zinc protoporphyrin; D006418:Heme