Evaluation of serum boron levels and lipid profi le in pregnancies with or without gestational diabetes

Abstract

Aims: Animal research has demonstrated that boron haseffects on triglycerides and glucose and may act as a metabolicregulator in several enzymatic systems. Gestationaldiabetes mellitus (GDM) is a prevalent obstetrical complicationand the lack of data on maternal status of boron innormal/diabetic pregnancies, prompted us to undertake thisstudy.Methods: Maternal blood samples were collected duringscreening and diagnosis of GDM at 24 – 28 weeks. Serum lipids(total cholesterol, high-density cholesterol, low densitycholesterol, triglycerides, lipoprotein-a, apolipoprotein-A-Iand apolipoprotein-B) and boron levels were determined.Fifteen non-GDM and 19 GDM women constituted the studypopulation.Results: The mean age was 30.1 ± 5 years. The median boronlevels were 15.2 µ g/L (0.0152 ppm; range, 8.4 – 25.4 µ g/L).When GDM and non-GDM cases were compared for age,gravidity, parity, lipid profi les and serum boron levels, no significant differences were found (P > 0.05). No correlation wasfound between lipids and boron levels.Conclusion: This preliminary study contributes to the limitedinformation about the metabolic aspects of boron. Consideringthe evidence that boron acts as a regulator of energy substrateutilization, the effect of dietary boron on glucose metabolismdeserves further research.