Background and Aims: Elevated maternal triglycerides (TG) have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes including an increased risk of preeclampsia and macrosomia. Maternal TG are primarily measured in the fasting state and at single time points during pregnancy. Temporal and prandial changes in TG levels during pregnancy are not well described. The purpose of this study was to examine flux of capillary glucose and TG in late pregnancy, how they are influenced by high and low fat meals, and whether they relate to infant body composition.
Materials and Methods: Women in the third trimester of pregnancy completed 4 days of home capillary glucose and TG monitoring (4 times a day (fasting and two hours post each meal)). Using the Roche Accutrend Plus meter. Each woman consumed an isocaloric high fat (41%) and a low fat (25%) breakfast meal on different days during the study period. Area under the curve (AUC) for the capillary glucose and TG measures after the standardized meals was calculated using trapezoidal approximation. AUC for women with and without GDM was compared for each meal and metabolic measure. Infant body fat % was measured by air displacement plethysmography.
Results: To date, thirteen women, 7 with GDM and 6 normoglycaemic have completed the study. Median capillary glucose levels: fasting 5.0 (95% CI 4.6-5.2) mmol/L and postprandial 6.0 (95% CI 5.7-6.2) mmol/L. Median capillary TG: fasting 3.3 (95% CI 2.9-3.8) mmol/L and postprandial 3.6 (95% CI 3.2-3.8) mmol/L. Mean infant body fat % 10.6 (SD4.9)%. There were no significant differences in capillary glucose or triglycerides between the meals although capillary glucose trended higher with the low fat meal. GDM status did not affect the AUC glucose or AUC triglycerides for either meal.
Conclusion: This study demonstrates that capillary triglycerides can be monitored at home in a similar fashion to capillary glucose. Capillary triglyceride levels were not related to infant anthropometry and did not vary significantly with meal fat content. Recruitment is ongoing.
H.L. Barrett: None. M. Dekker: Speaker's Bureau; Self; Abbott. Other Relationship; Self; Nestlé. S.J. de Jersey: None. M.C. d'Emden: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca. Speaker's Bureau; Self; AstraZeneca. Advisory Panel; Self; Eli Lilly and Company. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Eli Lilly and Company, Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH. Advisory Panel; Self; Sanofi. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Sanofi, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. L. Callaway: None. H. McIntyre: Speaker's Bureau; Self; Novo Nordisk Inc.. Research Support; Self; Danish Diabetes Academy.
