Evangelos Papakonstantinou
Greece
Research Article
Effect of Gestational Diabetes on Circulating Levels of Maternal and Neonatal Carnitine
Author(s): Eleni Agakidou, Elisavet Diamanti, Ioannis Papoulidis, Evangelos Papakonstantinou, Ioakeim Stergioudas, Kosmas Sarafidis, Vasiliki Drossou and Athanasios EvangeliouEleni Agakidou, Elisavet Diamanti, Ioannis Papoulidis, Evangelos Papakonstantinou, Ioakeim Stergioudas, Kosmas Sarafidis, Vasiliki Drossou and Athanasios Evangeliou
Objectives: Free carnitine is reported to decrease in normal pregnancies whereas data on the effect of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) on maternal and offspring carnitine status are lacking. This study aimed to assess changes in carnitine status in mothers with GDM and the offspring.
Subjects/methods: Prospective case-control study of 54 pairs of mothers - neonates (27 with GDM and 27 with normal pregnancies) and 26 non-pregnant controls. Serum glucose, lipids, and total fatty acids, blood β-hydroxybutyric acid, and whole blood carnitine were assessed in mothers before labor and neonates at birth. Carnitine was assessed in dried blood-spots on Guthrie paper using Tandem Mass Spectrometry.
Results: Compared to the controls, both groups of mothers had lower free carnitine and acylcarnitine and higher triglyceride and fatty acid levels. Compared to their respecti.. View More»