Plasma adipokine concentrations in overweight/obese pregnant women: a longitudinal study.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in plasma concentrations of adipokines in pregnant women with varying body mass indices (BMIs) with every trimester. In this study, 89 pregnant women were recruited. These women were divided into lean, normal, and overweight/obese groups. Serum levels of adiponectin, resistin, leptin, and visfatin were measured in the first, second, and third trimesters. In the overweight/obese group, adiponectin, resistin, and visfatin concentrations were not significantly affected by advanced gestational age. Leptin concentrations in the third trimester were significantly higher than those in the first and second trimesters. Adiponectin concentrations in the overweight/obese group were significantly lower than those in the lean group in the first and second trimesters. Visfatin concentrations in the overweight/obese group were significantly higher than those in the normal group in the first trimester. Leptin concentrations in the overweight/obese group were significantly higher than those in the lean and normal groups in all trimesters. In the first trimester, the largest differences were observed between the overweight/obese group compared to the lean and normal group. The changes in adipokines in overweight/obese groups are different from those in lean and normal groups.

Effect of bed rest during pregnancy on bone turnover markers in pregnant and postpartum women.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of our study were to evaluate the changes in bone turnover markers during pregnancy and puerperium as a longitudinal study and to elucidate the effect of bed rest during pregnancy on bone turnover markers in pregnant and postpartum women. METHODS: The study population comprised 27 Japanese pregnant women aged 23-40 years. All women were recruited for the longitudinal study from the outpatients clinic of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tokushima University Hospital. Concentrations of serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), urinary cross-linked type I collagen N-telopeptides (NTx), serum NTx and urinary C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx) were measured at 10, 26, 30 and 36 weeks of pregnancy and at 4 days and 1 month postpartum. In addition, we recruited 15 pregnant women (aged 25-35 years) who were treated by bed rest before 30 weeks of pregnancy for threatened premature delivery and compared bone turnover markers in these women with those in 22 normal pregnant women (aged 22-39 years). Concentrations of serum BAP, serum NTx, urinary NTx and urinary CTx were measured at 30 and 34 weeks of pregnancy and at 4 days and 1 month postpartum. RESULTS: In the longitudinal study, serum BAP concentration at 1 month postpartum was significantly higher than that at any stage of pregnancy and that at 4 days postpartum. Urinary concentration of NTx increased gradually during pregnancy and showed a peak at 36 weeks of pregnancy, followed by a decrease in the postpartum period. Serum NTx concentration and urinary CTx concentration showed the same patterns of change as that of urinary NTx concentration. In the comparison study, urinary concentrations of NTx and CTx at 30 and 34 weeks of pregnancy in women with bed rest were significantly (p<0.0001 and p<0.001, respectively) higher than those in normal pregnant women. Serum NTx concentration at 34 weeks of pregnancy in women with bed rest was also significantly (p=0.0029) higher than that in normal pregnant women. Serum BAP concentration at 34 weeks of pregnancy in women with bed rest was significantly (p=0.0038) higher than that in normal pregnant women, and these high levels were maintained during puerperium. Serum BAP concentration at 34 weeks of pregnancy was significantly correlated with duration of bed rest (r=0.767, p=0.0041). CONCLUSION: Immobilization due to bed rest during pregnancy is associated with increases in bone turnover markers in pregnant and postpartum women. Concentrations of bone resorption markers increased rapidly at the start of bed rest, while the concentration of a bone formation marker gradually increased toward puerperium.

Differences in bone metabolism between singleton pregnancy and twin pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to examine the influence of twin pregnancy on calcium metabolism, including bone turnover markers and calcium-regulating factors, by comparison between singleton pregnancy and twin pregnancy in women during pregnancy and puerperium in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies. METHODS: Women with singleton and twin pregnancies were recruited from the outpatient clinic of Tokushima University Hospital. In both cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, bone formation and resorption markers, mineral metabolism and calcium-regulating factors were measured at 10, 25, 30 and 36 weeks of pregnancy and at 4 days and 1 month postpartum in women with singleton and twin pregnancies. RESULTS: Urinary levels of cross-linked type I collagen N-telopeptides and C-terminal telopeptides of type I collagen in women with twin pregnancy were significantly higher than those in women with singleton pregnancy and those high levels were observed earlier than those in women with singleton pregnancy. In the cross-sectional study, serum levels of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, calcium and phosphate in women with twin pregnancy were higher and the levels of 1,25-(OH)2 vitamin D and 25-(OH) vitamin D in women with twin pregnancy were lower than those in women with singleton pregnancy. CONCLUSION: Changes in bone metabolism in women with twin pregnancy are different from those in women with singleton pregnancy. Early and large increases in bone turnover markers allow women with twin pregnancy to meet high fetal demand for calcium during pregnancy.

Differences in insulin sensitivity in pregnant women with overweight and gestational diabetes mellitus.

AIM: The purpose of the present study was to investigate changes in insulin sensitivity using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and the quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) in normal-weight and overweight women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) during pregnancy. METHODS: Ninety-two pregnant women in the first trimester, 202 in the second trimester and 154 in the third trimester were enrolled in this study. Fasting plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were measured in all women in the first, second and third trimesters. HOMA indices (insulin resistance, HOMA-IR and beta-cell function, HOMA-beta) and QUICKI were calculated from fasting glucose and insulin concentrations. RESULTS: HOMA-IR values in overweight women with NGT and in women with GDM were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than those in normal-weight women with NGT. HOMA-IR in women with GDM increased significantly (p < 0.05) during pregnancy, but HOMA-IR values in normal-weight and overweight women with NGT did not change significantly with advance of gestation. QUICKI values in overweight women with NGT and in women with GDM were also significantly (p < 0.01) lower than those in normal-weight women with NGT, and QUICKI in women with GDM decreased significantly (p < 0.05) during pregnancy. HOMA-beta in normal-weight women with NGT increased significantly (p < 0.01) during pregnancy. CONCLUSION: We showed that insulin sensitivities determined by using HOMA-IR and QUICKI in overweight women with NGT and women with GDM were lower than those in normal-weight women with NGT, and that insulin sensitivity in women with GDM declined with advance of gestation.

Intrauterine hemodynamic change in TTTS: the alterations in the inferior vena cava waveform in the donor fetus.

BACKGROUND: Significant hemodynamic changes are commonly observed in both fetuses in twin-twin transfusion syndrome. METHODS AND RESULTS: We describe two donor fetus cases in twin-twin transfusion syndrome associated with abnormal waveform patterns in the inferior vena cava after therapeutic amnioreduction. Subsequent echocardiographic examinations demonstrated progressive deterioration of the cardiac function in the recipient fetuses. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that alterations in the inferior vena cava waveform in the donor fetuses may contribute to the accurate prediction of deterioration in fetal circulation after amnioreduction.