Serum lipid and lipoprotein composition in infants of diabetic mothers

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) alters carbohydrate and lipid metabolism to a great extent. This study was planned to determine whether infants of insulin dependent and gestational diabetic mothers have abnormal lipid metabolism. Three groups of newborns were included in the study; group I consisted of 7 infants of diabetic mothers (IDM) with insulin dependent DM (Type 1 DM), group II of 18 infants of gestational diabetic mothers and group III of 20 control neonates whose mothers had no history of DM. Total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) values in groups I and II were no different compared to those in group III (p > 0.05). However, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio were similar between groups I and II (p > 0.05) but significantly higher in both infants of type 1 diabetic mothers and gestational diabetic mothers compared to control infants (p < 0.05). Apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-1) and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) levels, Apo A-I/Apo B and HDL-C/Apo A-I ratios were similar in between groups. However, Apo B/LDL-C ratio was significantly lower in groups I and II compared to control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, diabetes in pregnant women causes a tendency to LDL hypercholesterolemia in the offspring. These infants should be longitudinally followed up to assess whether this observation imposes an increased risk for atherosclerosis for advanced ages.

Familial history of diabetes and clinical characteristics in Greek subjects with type 2 diabetes

“…Regarding the lipid profile, previous studies have showed a positive relationship between plasma LDL-cholesterol levels and paternal history of diabetes [ 16 ] and higher serum triglyceride levels in male offspring of T2D mothers than females of the same group [ 7 ]. Also, a study showed that diabetes in pregnant women causes a tendency to LDL hypercholesterolemia in the offspring [ 30 ].…”

Implication of lipids in macrosomia of diabetic pregnancy: can n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids exert beneficial effects?

“…Chan et al [50] have reported that VLDL and LDL-C concentrations are significantly elevated in newborns of mothers with gestational diabetes. Increased LDL-C levels have been reported recently [51] in infants of Type I and gestational diabetic mothers as compared with levels in control infants. High activities of LPL and hepatic TAG lipase (HTAGL) have also been reported in infants of diabetic mothers [52,53].…”

Increased tissue concentrations of arachidonic acid in umbilical artery and placenta in fetal growth retardation

“…In certain conditions, an unfavorable lipid pattern in children (1–2) and newborns (3–6) can be associated with an increased risk of subsequent cardiovascular disease.…”