Associations of mid-pregnancy plasma fatty acid patterns with gestational diabetes mellitus risk: A 1:2 matched case-control study.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common metabolic complication of pregnancy, closely related to insulin resistance and altered fatty acid metabolism. However, evidence on mid-pregnancy fatty acid profiles and GDM risk remains limited and inconsistent. We comprehensively characterized mid-pregnancy circulating fatty acid profiles and their derived patterns in relation to GDM risk in a matched case-control study.
Based on a prospective cohort study conducted in Shenzhen, China, we performed a 1:2 matched case-control study including 290 GDM cases and 580 normal glucose tolerance controls, matched by maternal age and pre-pregnancy BMI. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine associations between individual fatty acids and GDM risk. Multivariable linear regression with cluster-robust standard errors was applied to assess associations with oral glucose tolerance test glucose levels. Principal component analysis was further used to identify fatty acid patterns.
Medium-chain saturated fatty acids, including C12:0 and C14:0, were inversely associated with GDM risk and post-load glucose levels. The highest quartile of C12:0 was associated with a 48% lower GDM risk. Total odd-chain fatty acids also showed a protective association. In contrast, very-long-chain saturated fatty acids, particularly C22:0 and C24:0, were positively associated with GDM risk and post-load glucose, with the highest quartile of C22:0 associated with a more than two-fold higher risk. Among polyunsaturated fatty acids, ALA was associated with lower GDM risk, whereas DHA was associated with higher risk. Principal component analysis identified a fatty acid pattern characterized by higher C24:0, C22:0, and C18:1n-9 and lower C18:3n-3, C17:0, and C18:2n-6, which was associated with increased GDM risk and elevated post-load glucose.
Mid-pregnancy circulating fatty acid profiles were associated with GDM risk and glycemic levels. Fatty acid pattern analysis provides a complementary perspective to individual fatty acid associations, offering an integrated view of fatty acid metabolism in pregnancy.
Based on a prospective cohort study conducted in Shenzhen, China, we performed a 1:2 matched case-control study including 290 GDM cases and 580 normal glucose tolerance controls, matched by maternal age and pre-pregnancy BMI. Conditional logistic regression was used to examine associations between individual fatty acids and GDM risk. Multivariable linear regression with cluster-robust standard errors was applied to assess associations with oral glucose tolerance test glucose levels. Principal component analysis was further used to identify fatty acid patterns.
Medium-chain saturated fatty acids, including C12:0 and C14:0, were inversely associated with GDM risk and post-load glucose levels. The highest quartile of C12:0 was associated with a 48% lower GDM risk. Total odd-chain fatty acids also showed a protective association. In contrast, very-long-chain saturated fatty acids, particularly C22:0 and C24:0, were positively associated with GDM risk and post-load glucose, with the highest quartile of C22:0 associated with a more than two-fold higher risk. Among polyunsaturated fatty acids, ALA was associated with lower GDM risk, whereas DHA was associated with higher risk. Principal component analysis identified a fatty acid pattern characterized by higher C24:0, C22:0, and C18:1n-9 and lower C18:3n-3, C17:0, and C18:2n-6, which was associated with increased GDM risk and elevated post-load glucose.
Mid-pregnancy circulating fatty acid profiles were associated with GDM risk and glycemic levels. Fatty acid pattern analysis provides a complementary perspective to individual fatty acid associations, offering an integrated view of fatty acid metabolism in pregnancy.
Authors
Luo Luo, Zheng Zheng, Xie Xie, Huang Huang, Zhou Zhou, Liao Liao, Sun Sun, Deng Deng, Zhang Zhang
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