title: The effect of Ramadan fasting on sirtuin and visfatin levels.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to determine how Ramadan fasting effects serum Human NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin 1 (SIRT1/SIR2L1) and visfatin levels during pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-six patients were included in this case-control study. The patient group consisted of 18 pregnant women who were Ramadan fasting. Another healthy 18 pregnant women with matching pregnancy weeks and ages formed the control group. Blood samples were obtained from the patients for biochemical analyses and serum adipokine level measurements.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean sirtuin and visfatin levels in fasting pregnant women were 2.87 ± 0.95 and 60.18 ± 19.49 ng/mL, respectively, while the mean serum sirtuin and visfatin levels in the control group was determined to be 4.28 ± 1.45 and 23.26 ± 6.18 ng/mL, respectively. A statistically significant difference was determined between the groups (p= 0.002,p= 0.0001). A correlation analysis provided a negative correlation between number of fasting days and sirtuin levels (r= 0.45,p= 0.005) and a positive correlation with visfatin levels (r= 0.73,p= 0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  As a result, while the serum sirtuin 1 level of pregnant women decreased due to fasting in Ramadan, we determined that their visfatin levels increased and this increase was in correlation with the days of fasting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine, Yozgat, Turkey; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yaprak
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Engin-Ustun
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine , Yozgat , Turkey.
authors.forename: Emel Kiyak
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Caglayan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine , Yozgat , Turkey.
authors.forename: Mustafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kara
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine , Yozgat , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayse Yesim
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Gocmen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine , Yozgat , Turkey.
authors.forename: M Fevzi
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Polat
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Zekai Tahir Burak Women's Health Education and Research Hospital , Ankara , Turkey.
authors.forename: Ayla
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aktulay
keywords: fasting, sirtuin 1; gestational diabetes mellitus; pregnancy; visfatin