Metabonomics fingerprint of volatile organic compounds in serum and urine of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUNDGestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disease with an increasing annual incidence rate. Our previous observational study found that pregnant women with GDM had mild cognitive decline.AIMTo analyze the changes in metabonomics in pregnant women with GDM and explore the mechanism of cognitive function decline.METHODSThirty GDM patients and 30 healthy pregnant women were analyzed. Solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to detect organic matter in plasma and urine samples. Statistical analyses were conducted using principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis.RESULTSDifferential volatile metabolites in the serum of pregnant women with GDM included hexanal, 2-octen-1-ol, and 2-propanol. Differential volatile metabolites in the urine of these women included benzene, cyclohexanone, 1-hexanol, and phenol. Among the differential metabolites, the conversion of 2-propanol to acetone may further produce methylglyoxal. Therefore, 2-propanol may be a potential marker for serum methylglyoxal.CONCLUSION2-propanol may be a potential volatile marker to evaluate cognitive impairment in pregnant women with GDM.

Automated summary

This study found differential metabolites in the serum and urine of pregnant women with GDM, and suggests that 2-propanol may be a potential volatile marker to evaluate cognitive impairment in these women.