title: Are adipokines associated with gestational diabetes mellitus?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the association of maternal serum levels of chemerin, retinol binding protein-4 (RBP-4), and visfatin with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
  
  
  METHODS
  158 pregnant women were screened between 24 and 28 weeks of gestation. They were divided into two groups: GDM group (n=76) and control group (n=82). Maternal serum concentrations of chemerin, RBP-4, visfatin, insulin, and homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no differences in age and gestational age between the GDM group and the control group (p=0.058 and p=0.820, respectively). Body mass index (BMI) at 24 to 28 weeks of gestation was higher in the GDM group (p<0.001). The serum concentrations of RBP-4, chemerin, and visfatin did not demonstrate significant differences between the GDM and control groups (p=0.871, p=0.100, and p=0.886, respectively). Significant differences in serum level of insulin and HOMA-IR were found between the GDM and control groups (14.94 vs 9.87, p<0.001 and 3.73 vs 1.77, p<0.001, respectively). Correlation analyses of chemerin, RBP-4, visfatin, insulin, and HOMA-IR in both groups revealed a weak degree of positive correlation between RBP-4 and chemerin (Spearman r=0.251, p=0.026) and a strong positive correlation between maternal insulin and HOMA (Spearman r=0.868, p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No differences were found in serum chemerin, RBP-4, and visfatin between pregnant women with GDM and healthy pregnant women. Further prospective studies will be essential to elucidate the contribution of adipokines to GDM and the positive correlation between maternal RBP-4 and chemerin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hitit University School of Medicine, Çorum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ümit
authors.initials: Ü
authors.lastname: Görkem
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Hitit University School of Medicine, Çorum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ferit Kerim
authors.initials: FK
authors.lastname: Küçükler
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hitit University School of Medicine, Çorum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Cihan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Toğrul
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hitit University School of Medicine, Çorum, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tayfun
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Güngör
keywords: Chemerin; gestational diabetes; retinol binding protein-4; visfatin