Blood Test Predicts Diabetes Risk in Early Pregnancy

Levels of a biomarker in a pregnant woman's blood can help physicians gauge her risk of developing gestational diabetes during the first trimester.

Gestational diabetes causes glucose levels in the bloodstream to be higher than normal and early diagnosis and treatment can help the woman manage the condition, because if left untreated there is an increased the risk of premature delivery.

Endocrinologists at Tokyo Women's Medical University (Japan) conducted a prospective cohort study of 716 pregnant women who first visited the hospital during their first trimester between 2010 and 2011. Plasma samples were obtained at the time of routine blood testing during the first trimester, at less than 14 weeks gestation. Blood glucose levels were determined.

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were performed in duplicate to determine the levels of soluble (pro)renin receptor [s(P)RR] using commercially available kits (Immuno-Biological Laboratories Co.; Fujioka, Japan). The detection limit of the kit was 24 pg/mL, and inter- and intra-assay coefficients of variation were 7.5% and 5.5%, respectively.

Among the 716 participants, there were 44 (6.1%) women who had gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 672 (93.9%) who did not. The team found that pregnant women with elevated s(P)RR levels were more likely to be diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Women who had the highest s(P)RR levels of above 34.2 ng/mL were 2.9 times more likely to develop gestational diabetes than women who had the lowest levels. All s(P)RR concentrations were above the level required for detection of 24 pg/mL and the mean s(P)RR of the entire cohort was 30.6 ± 9.5 ng/mL.

Atsuhiro Ichihara, MD, a senior author of the study said, “In addition to gestational diabetes, recent studies have found elevated s(P)RR levels are associated with the birth of larger babies and high blood pressure in late pregnancy. The evidence suggests the biomarker is important in the interaction between mother and fetus during pregnancy." The study was published on May 29, 2013, in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.

Related Links:
Tokyo Women's Medical University

Immuno-Biological Laboratories