Decreased maternal serum cortistatin levels in pregnancies with gestational diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective: To investigate serum cortistatin levels in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and women with uncomplicated pregnancies.

Material and methods: This case-control study consisted of 40 pregnancies with GDM and 41 healthy singleton pregnancies matched for maternal and gestational age. The maternal serum levels of cortistatin were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared between groups.

Results: Cortistatin levels were significantly lower in GDM group (48.85 ± 20.18 versus 65.84 ± 33.98 ng/ml, p = .008). There was a statistically significant difference in cortistatin levels between different treatment modalities and control group (χ²(2) = 8.828, p = .012). Pairwise comparisons showed that diet group had significantly lower CST levels than control group (p = .012). Serum cortistatin levels were negatively correlated with serum insulin and glucose levels and HOMA-IR (r = −0.358, p = .001; r = −0.303, p = .006; r = −0.444, p < .001, respectively).

Conclusion: Cortistatin levels were significantly lower in GDM pregnancies and related to serum insulin and glucose levels and HOMA-IR in pregnancy. This may help to better clarify the mechanism of GDM pathogenesis.

Keywords:

• Cortistatin
• gestational diabetes mellitus
• insulin resistance
• pregnancy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This study was supported by the Manisa Celal Bayar University Coordinatorship of Scientific Research Projects [grant no. 2018-111].