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The following is a summary of “Metabolomic Profiles of Nonobese and Obese Women With Gestational Diabetes,” published in the November 2023 issue of Endocrinology by Sormunen-Harju, et al.

In the context of the increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in nonobese individuals with an obesity-related metabolome, particularly following gestational diabetes, for a study, researchers sought to investigate metabolomic profiles in pregnant women. The objective was to discern differences in metabolic measures between nonobese (BMI < 30) and obese (BMI ≥ 30) women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and obese non-GDM women compared to nonobese non-GDM controls.

The study included 755 pregnant women from the PREDO and RADIEL studies, with 66 metabolic measures assessed during early (median 13 weeks of gestation), mid (20 weeks), and late pregnancy (28 weeks). An independent replication cohort comprised 490 pregnant women.

The results revealed that both nonobese and obese GDM, as well as obese non-GDM women, exhibited similar differences from controls across early, mid, and late pregnancy in 13 metabolic measures, encompassing very low-density lipoprotein-related measures and fatty acids. Notably, differences in six measures, such as fatty acid ratios, glycolysis-related measures, valine, and 3-hydroxybutyrate, were more pronounced in obese GDM women compared to controls. Moreover, distinctions in 16 measures, including HDL-related measures, fatty acid ratios, amino acids, and inflammation, were more pronounced in obese GDM or obese non-GDM women compared to controls, compared to nonobese GDM women. 

Most differences were evident in early pregnancy, and the replication cohort showed consistent trends, suggesting the potential for utilizing metabolomic profiles to identify high-risk women for targeted preventive interventions.

Source: academic.oup.com/jcem/article/108/11/2862/7176145