Maternal serum xenin-25 levels in gestational diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: Xenin-25 is a polypeptide having an insulinotropic effect via increasing the insulin-releasing action of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) and promoting beta cell survival and proliferation. We aimed to assess serum xenin-25 levels in euglycemic pregnancies vs. pregnancies complicated with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty pregnancies complicated with GDM and 40 healthy pregnancies with gestational age between 24 and 28 weeks were included. Following eight hours of fasting, blood samples were drawn from the participants, and subsequently, 75 g of glucose was administered orally. Blood was drawn again 120 minutes after the glucose challenge. Serum xenin-25 levels were detected by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed, and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in maternal age, gestational age, BMI, fasting glucose, and insulin levels between the groups. Both fasting and 120th-minute xenin-25 levels were significantly higher in the GDM group when compared to the control group (p<0.05). Both the fasting and 120th-minute serum xenin-25 levels were significantly higher in women with GDM compared to healthy pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS: High levels of xenin-25 were associated with gestational diabetes, and xenin-25 might be a potential marker for detecting GDM in the future.

The association between exocrine pancreatic dysfunction and insulin resistance in an insulin-resistant population in Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

Background: In insulin resistance (IR), it is thought that pancreatic fat accumulation may decrease pancreatic volume, cause an impaired endocrine function, and simultaneously lead to an exocrine dysfunction before diabetes develops. Aim: The association between pancreatic exocrine function and insulin resistance (IR) was assessed in a population with insulin resistance. Method: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study that included 43 IR cases with no other comorbid diseases or pregnancy and 41 healthy controls. Fasting blood adiponectin, leptin, pancreatic amylase, lipase, and stool fecal elastase-1 (FE-1) were studied and compared in both groups. Results: The IR group consisted of 38 females (88.3%) and five males (11.6%), while the control group consisted of 31 females (75.6%) and ten males (24.3%). FE-1 levels were significantly lower in the IR group (P-value <0.01). Blood glucose, insulin, and HbA1c levels were significantly higher in the IR group than in the control (P-value of <0.01, <0.01, <0.01, respectively). Leptin levels were significantly higher in the IR group compared to the controls (P-value = 0.013). After dividing the whole group (n: 84) into two groups as FE-1 <200 µg/g (n: 61) and FE-1 ≥200 µg/g (n: 23), logistic regression analysis was performed; the significant predictor of low FE-1 was HOMA-IR (ODD ratio: 4.27, P-value <0.01, 95% confidence interval for ODD ratio: 1.95-9.30). Conclusion: This study showed that IR is associated with pancreatic exocrine dysfunction.