Serum resistin in gestational diabetes mellitus and early postpartum

OBJECTIVES: To observe the alterations in serum resistin in gestational diabetes (GDM) and the early postpartum period, and compare this to nondiabetic pregnancies in order to evaluate the role of serum resistin in gestational diabetes mellitus. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. PATIENTS: Twenty women with normal pregnancy and 20 with gestational diabetes. MEASUREMENTS: Serum resistin concentration was assayed by ELISA. RESULTS: Serum resistin concentration was significantly higher in women with GDM than in controls before delivery. Serum levels of resistin significantly decreased after delivery in both the GDM group and controls (P < 0.001 for both). There was a trend of higher serum resistin in women with GDM than in controls. Differences existed on days 1 (P < 0.001) and 3 (P = 0.013), but not by day 5 (P = 0.052) after delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated serum resistin level was observed in women with gestational diabetes, suggesting that it is important in the pathology of the disease.