Comparison of Afamin Values in Umbilical Cord Blood After Delivery in Pregnancies With and Without Gestational Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective

Afamin is a protein that increases in gestational diabetes but its concentration in neonates hasn’t been investigated. Our objective is to compare cord blood afamin levels in neonates born to mothers with and without diabetes, and to explore its relationship with maternal and neonatal variables.

Methods

In this case control study, umbilical cord blood was collected for afamin measurement in pregestational/gestational diabetic pregnancies (n = 40) and healthy pregnancies (n = 45) after delivery. Correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between afamin levels and maternal BMI, age, HbA1c, fasting and postprandial blood glucose, gestational age, birth weight.

Results

The diabetic group had a higher median afamin level (p < 0.001). Afamin concentrations did not differ significantly between diabetic subgroups. The concentration of afamin in cord blood was independent of maternal BMI, age, HbA1c, blood glucose, gestational age, birth weight.

Conclusion

The concentration of afamin in cord blood of diabetic pregnancies is significantly higher, irrespective of other clinical factors.

Keywords:

• Diabetes mellitus
• gestational
• type 2 diabetes
• umbilical cord

Authors’ contributions

OA, YD and BO planned and designed the study. AK, ASD, MDE performed data collection. YD performed statistical analysis. YD wrote the first draft of the manuscript. BO, OA and AK revised the manuscript

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data access statement

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available, but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Additional information

Funding

This work has been supported by Kocaeli University Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit undergrant number THD-2022-2853.