Higher serum uric acid levels linked with gestational diabetes mellitus risk

A new study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism found that elevated levels of serum uric acid in the blood during pregnancy may be closely related to the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). 

GDM is a type of diabetes that develops during pregnancy and can lead to serious complications for both the mother and baby. And so, Chaoyan Yue and team aimed to better understand the relationship between changes in serum uric acid levels before 24 weeks of gestation and the risk of GDM and associated adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The study included 24,023 singleton pregnant women who were followed from February 2018 to June 2022. The researchers measured the women's serum uric acid levels before 24 weeks of gestation and recorded the development of GDM at 24-28 weeks of gestation. They also tracked other pregnancy outcomes, including GDM requiring pharmacotherapy (GDM A2), GDM combined with preeclampsia, preterm delivery, and large for gestational age infants.

The findings of the study were:

Elevated uric acid levels before 24 weeks of gestation were strongly associated with the risk of GDM.

Compared to women with uric acid levels below 240umol/L, those with levels between 240-300 had a risk ratio (RR) for GDM of 1.43 (95% CI: 1.29-1.56), and those with levels above 300 had an RR of 1.82 (95% CI: 1.55-2.15).

The researchers also found that elevated uric acid levels were associated with other adverse pregnancy outcomes, including GDM A2, preterm birth, and GDM combined with preeclampsia.

Based on these findings, the PI concluded that elevated uric acid levels before 24 weeks of gestation are associated with an increased risk of GDM and other adverse pregnancy outcomes. They suggest that measuring serum uric acid levels before 18 weeks of gestation may be particularly useful for identifying pregnant women at low or intermediate risk for GDM who may benefit from early intervention.

Reference:

Yue, C., Ying, C., & Li, X. (2023). Elevated serum uric acid is associated with gestational diabetes mellitus: an observational cohort study. In The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. The Endocrine Society. https://doi.org/10.1210/clinem/dgac760