Plasma phospholipid n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids in relation to cardiometabolic markers and gestational diabetes: A longitudinal study within the prospective NICHD Fetal Growth Studies

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1002910
• Publication Date: 2019-09-13T17:27:35Z
• Authors: Yeyi Zhu; Mengying Li; Mohammad L. Rahman; Stefanie N. Hinkle; Jing Wu; Natalie L. Weir; Yuan Lin; Huixia Yang; Michael Y. Tsai; Assiamira Ferrara; Cuilin Zhang
• Keywords: Adult; Blood Glucose; Adolescent; Nutritional Status; Gestational Age; Risk Assessment; 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; Pregnancy; Fatty Acids, Omega-6; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Humans; Insulin; Longitudinal Studies; Prospective Studies; Phospholipids; R; Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; 3. Good health; Diabetes, Gestational; Case-Control Studies; Medicine; Female; Insulin Resistance; Biomarkers; Research Article

Despite dietary recommendations of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) for cardiometabolic health, n-3 and n-6 PUFAs their interplay in relation to diabetes risk remain debated. Importantly, data among pregnant women are scarce. We investigated individual plasma phospholipid early midpregnancy subsequent gestational mellitus (GDM).Within the National Institute Child Health Human Development (NICHD) Fetal Growth Studies-Singleton Cohort (n = 2,802), levels were measured at weeks (GWs) 10-14, 15-26, 23-31, 33-39 107 GDM cases (ascertained on average GW 27) 214 non-GDM controls. Conditional logistic regression was used, adjusting major factors GDM. After covariates, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic (DPA), docosahexaenoic (DHA) inversely correlated with insulin-resistance markers, whereas dihomo-gamma-linolenic (DGLA) positively markers. At a standard deviation (SD) increase total DPA associated 36% (adjusted odds ratio 0.64; 95% CI 0.42-0.96; P 0.042) 33% (0.67; 0.45-0.99; 0.047) lower GDM, respectively; however, significance did not persist after post hoc false-discovery rate (FDR) correction (FDR-corrected values > 0.05). Associations between null, associations differential. Per SD increase, gamma-linolenic (GLA) GWs 10-14 DGLA 15-26 significantly 1.40- 1.95-fold higher docosatetraenoic (DTA) 45% (0.55; 0.37-0.83) (all FDR-corrected < Null observed linoleic (LA) either window Women high (≥median) low (<median) had 64% (95% 0.14-0.95; value 0.039) versus PUFAs. Limitations include inability distinguish exogenous endogenous influences circulating PUFA lack causality inherent observational studies.Our findings may suggest potential role primarily endogenously metabolized including GLA, DGLA, DTA development diet-derived EPA DHA LA do provide strong evidence beneficial prevention although excluding benefit glucose-insulin homeostasis given inverse Our highlight importance assessing investigate distinct pathophysiologic roles glucose pregnancy.