Background: Adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), and fibroblast growth factor-19 (FGF-19) belong to proteins involved in glucose metabolism regulation. The aims of the study were to compare the plasma levels of these proteins in women with early diagnosed gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) to those in healthy controls and to investigate their changes during pregnancy after early intervention. Methods: The study was undertaken as a case-control study. Early GDM diagnosis was based on repeated fasting plasma glucose ≥5.1 and <7.0 mmol/L during the first trimester of pregnancy and exclusion of overt diabetes. Age-matched controls comprised healthy pregnant and non-pregnant women. In addition to adipokines, clinical parameters and measures of glucose control were assessed. Results: Women with GDM (n = 23) had significantly lower adiponectin and higher A-FABP levels compared to healthy pregnant (n = 29) or non-pregnant (n = 25) controls, while no significant differences in FGF-19 between the groups were found. The therapeutic intervention shifted adiponectin and A-FABP levels in GDM women towards concentrations of healthy pregnant controls. Adipokines were associated with visceral adiposity and glucose control. Conclusion: Women with GDM showed altered adipokine production even in the first trimester of pregnancy. Early therapeutic intervention not only improved glucose control but also normalized impaired adipokine production.

3rd Department of Internal Medicine Nephrology Rheumatology and Endocrinology Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry University Hospital and Palacky University 1 P Pavlova 6 77900 Olomouc Czech Republic

Department of Clinical Biochemistry University Hospital 1 P Pavlova 6 77900 Olomouc Czech Republic

Diabetes Centre Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine 14021 Prague Czech Republic

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