INCREASED PLASMA PANCREASTATIN-LIKE LEVELS IN GESTATIONAL DIABETES - CORRELATION WITH CATECHOLAMINE LEVELS

OBJECTIVE - To investigate plasma pancreastatin (a chromogranin A-deri ved peptide) and catecholamine levels (counterregulatory hormones) in subjects with gestational diabetes compared with normal pregnant subje cts. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - Fasting blood samples were obtained from 11 normal pregnant and 12 nonobese gestational diabetic subjects at late pregnancy (30 +/- 1 weeks). Selection criteria were those rec ommended by the National Diabetes Data Group (modified from O'Sullivan original criteria). Plasma glucose, insulin, glucagon, pancreastatin- like, epinephrine, and norepinephrine were measured. RESULTS - Gestati onal diabetic subjects had significantly higher insulin levels than co ntrol pregnant subjects (18 +/- 1 vs. 15 +/- 1 mu U/ml), whereas gluco se and glucagon levels where comparable in the two groups. However, in creased catecholamine levels (epinephrine and norepinephrine) were fou nd in the gestational diabetic group. We also found increased pancreas tatin-like levels in these patients compared with the pregnant control group (46 +/- 2 vs. 30 +/- 2 pmol/l). Actually, pancreastatin levels positively correlated with both epinephrine (r = 0.34) and norepinephr ine (r = 0.80) levels. CONCLUSIONS - Catecholamine and pancreastatin-l ike levels were found elevated in gestational diabetic subjects. These counterregulatory hormones may play a role in the insulin resistance syndrome of gestational diabetes.