No abstract

OBJECTIVEInfants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at greater risk of later adverse metabolic health. We examined plausible candidate mediators, adipose tissue (AT) quantity and distribution and intrahepatocellular lipid (IHCL) content, comparing infants of mothers with GDM and without GDM (control group) over the first 3 postnatal months. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe conducted a prospective longitudinal study using MRI and spectroscopy to quantify whole-body and regional AT volumes, and IHCL content, within 2 weeks and 8-12 weeks after birth. We adjusted for infant size and sex and maternal prepregnancy BMI. Values are reported as the mean difference (95% CI). RESULTSWe recruited 86 infants (GDM group 42 infants; control group 44 infants). Mothers with GDM had good pregnancy glycemic control. Infants were predominantly breast-fed up to the time of the second assessment (GDM group 71%; control group 74%). Total AT volumes were similar in the GDM group compared with the control group at a median age of 11 days (228 cm 3 [95% CI 2121, 65], P = 0.55), but were greater in the GDM group at a median age of 10 weeks (247 cm 3 [56, 439], P = 0.01). After adjustment for size, the GDM group had significantly greater total AT volume at 10 weeks than control group infants (16.0% [6.0, 27.1], P = 0.002). AT distribution and IHCL content were not significantly different at either time point. CONCLUSIONSAdiposity in GDM infants is amplified in early infancy, despite good maternal glycemic control and predominant breast-feeding, suggesting a potential causal pathway to later adverse metabolic health. Reduction in postnatal adiposity may be a therapeutic target to reduce later health risks.Diabetes in pregnancy is increasing and currently affects up to 5% of women in the U.K.(1) and up to 9.2% in the U.S. (2). Approximately 87.5% of cases are gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), 7.5% are type 1 diabetes, and 5% are type 2 diabetes (1). The offspring of mothers with diabetes have greater risks of adverse metabolic sequelae in childhood and later life that appear to be additional to genetic predisposition (3-5).The underlying mechanisms are unclear, but increased infant adiposity is a plausible mediator because adiposity in childhood and adult life are associated with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (6). The Hyperglycemia and Adverse

Purpose:To assess the feasibility of imaging the liver in volunteers and patients with ultrashort echo time (UTE) pulse sequences. Materials and Methods:Seven normal controls as well as 12 patients with biopsy-proven generalized liver disease and three patients with focal disease were examined using pulse sequences with initial TEs of 0.08 msec followed by three later echoes, with or without frequency-based fat suppression. T 2 * values were calculated from regions of interest in the liver.Results: Good image quality was obtained in each subject. There was a highly significant difference in the mean T 2 * values between the normal controls and patients with generalized liver disease (P ϭ 0.001). T 2 * was significantly decreased in hemochromatosis (P ϭ 0.002) and increased in cirrhosis (P ϭ 0.04), compared with controls. T 2 * also correlated with functional status assessed by Child's grade (P ϭ 0.001). A hepatocellular carcinoma showed reduced short T 2 components in the region of thermal ablation and evidence of a subcapsular hematoma which were not apparent with conventional imaging. Conclusions:Imaging of the liver with UTE sequences showed good image quality and tolerance of abdominal motion. T 2 * was specifically correlated with the presence of hemochromatosis, cirrhosis, and functional grade. Imaging of short T 2 relaxation components may provide useful information in disease.