Diabetologie und Stoffwechsel 2012; 7 - P_105
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1314602

Copeptin serum levels are decreased in gestational diabetes mellitus

J Richter 1, 2, T Ebert 1, S Kralisch 1, 2, U Lößner 1, 2, B Jeßnitzer 1, M Blüher 1, M Stumvoll 1, M Fasshauer 1, 2
  • 1University of Leipzig, Department of Internal Medicine III, Leipzig, Germany
  • 2IFB AdiposityDiseases, Leipzig, Germany

Objective: Copeptin, a surrogate marker of circulating vasopressin, was recently introduced as a novel biomarker upregulated in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In the current study, we investigated serum concentrations of copeptin in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Research design and methods: Circulating levels of copeptin were measured in 79 women with GDM as compared to 79 healthy, gestational age-matched, pregnant controls using an immunoluminometric assay (ILMA). Furthermore, serum concentrations of copeptin were correlated to biochemical and clinical markers of glucose and lipid metabolism, renal function, and inflammation.

Results: Median serum copeptin levels were significantly lower in patients with GDM (3.6pmol/l) as compared to controls (4.4pmol/l) (p<0.05). Furthermore, GDM and gestational age remained independent predictors of circulating copeptin in multivariate analyses.

Conclusions: In contrast to previous findings in non-pregnant T2DM populations, copeptin was not up- but downregulated in GDM. The physiological relevance of this regulation needs to be assessed in future studies.