Serum nitric oxide syntheses and lipid profile of the mothers with IUGR pregnancies uncomplicated with preeclampsia. Does insulin resistance matter?

Abstract

Insulin resistance in late pregnancy increases nutrition availability in maternal circulation. Moreover, it is the leading cause of oxidative stress in pregnant women. Herein, we aimed to define the correlation between insulin resistance, serum inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) and serum lipid levels in patients with intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) pregnancies and controls. We performed a cross sectional study of IUGR pregnancies uncomplicated with preeclampsia as cases and age, body mass index, parity and gestational age matched pregnant women as controls. We quantified serum insulin, fasting blood sugar (FBS), iNOS and lipid profile of the cases and controls. Serum total cholesterol and LDL-C were significantly lower when serum iNOS, FBS, insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were significantly higher in patients with IUGR pregnancies. There was not any significant difference in serum iNOS levels between patients and controls (12.4 ± 2.1 vs. 11.1 ± 1.9; p = 0.52) after multiple adjustment for HOMA-IR. Serum iNOS levels were significantly correlated with maternal serum insulin, triglyceride and HOMA-IR levels in patients with IUGR pregnancies when there was not such a correlation in controls. We showed a positive correlation between insulin resistance and markers of oxidative stress like iNOS in IUGR pregnancies.

Keywords::

• iNOS
• insulin resistance
• IUGR pregnancy

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest.