Correlations between prolactin, prolactin receptorlevels and pregnancy outcome in puerpera with gestational diabetes mellitus

  Objective  To study the correlations between prolactin (PRL), its receptor level and pregnancy outcome of puerpera with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

  Methods  The clinical data of 100 puerpera with GDM was retrospectively analyzed. According to the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes, they were divided into adverse outcome group (adverse pregnancy outcomes, n=42) and control group (no adverse pregnancy outcomes, n=58). The levels of PRL, placental prolactin (HPL), prolactin receptor (PRLR), fasting blood glucose (FBG) and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR), 2 h postprandial blood glucose(2 hFBG) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were compared between the two groups; receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to analyze the predictive value of PRL, HPL and PRLR mRNA in GDM maternal adverse pregnancy outcomes; the correlations between PRL, HPL as well as PRLR mRNA levels and the incidence of adverse pregnancy were analyzed.

  Results  The incidence of adverse outcomes of GDM was 42.00%, mainly including macrosomia and fetal distress. The macrosomia and fetal distress accounted for 64.29% and 16.67% of the total cases of adverse outcomes, respectively. The levels of PRL, HPL and PRLR mRNA in the adverse outcome group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P < 0.05). The area under the curve of PRL, HPL and PRLR mRNA in predicting adverse pregnancy outcome of GDM puerpera were 0.763, 0.855 and 0.791, respectively. The levels of PRL, HPL and PRLR mRNA were significantly negatively correlated with the incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Abnormal expression of PRL, HPL and PRLR mRNA levels may indicate the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes in GDM puerpera.