Djelmis J, et al. - Whether type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) alters maternal and neonatal fatty acid (FA) levels were analyzed in this investigation. Compared with control newborns, the neonates born to mothers with T1DM had higher concentrations of total FAs, SFAs and MUFAs, as well as PUFAs.

Methods

• This observational study was conducted at academic hospital.
• Participants in the study were 60 pregnant women (30 women with T1DM with good glycemic control and 30 healthy women).
• Immediately upon delivery, maternal blood, umbilical vein, and artery blood samples were collected.
• The FA profiles of the total FA pool of maternal serum and umbilical vein and artery serum were determined by gas chromatography following lipid extraction.

Results

• The study results showed that total FA concentration in maternal serum did not vary between the study groups.
• Total FA concentration was significantly higher in umbilical vein serum of the T1DM group compared with that in the control group [median (interquartile range)]: T1DM 2126.2 (1446.4 to 3181.3) and control 1073.8 (657.5 to 2226.0; P < 0.001), and in umbilical artery vein serum: T1DM 1805.7 (1393.1 to 2125.0) and control 990.0 (643.3 to 1668.0; P < 0.001).
• Data reported that composition of FAs in umbilical vein serum demonstrated significantly higher concentrations of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FAs (SFAs, MUFAs, and PUFAs, respectively) in the T1DM group than compared with those in the control group (P=0.001).
• Compared with controls, cord blood levels of leptin (P < 0.001), C-peptide (P < 0.001), and insulin resistance (P=0.015) were higher in the T1DM group.