Oxidative DNA damage in early pregnancy and risk of gestational diabetes mellitus: A pilot study

Objectives: To examine the association of maternal early pregnancy oxidative stress with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Design and methods: A pilot prospective, nested case-control study was conducted. Study participants were recruited before 20. weeks gestation. Maternal urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), a biomarker of systemic oxidative DNA damage and repair, was measured using competitive immunoassays. Logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI). Results: Elevations in early pregnancy urinary 8-OHdG concentrations were associated with increased GDM risk. After adjusting for confounders, the OR for extreme quartiles (≥ 8.01 vs < 4.23. ng/mg creatinine) of 8-OHdG was 3.79 (95%CI 1.03-14.00). The risk for GDM was highest for overweight women with urine 8-OHdG concentrations ≥ 8.01. ng/mg creatinine (OR = 5.36, 95%CI 1.33-21.55) when compared with lean women who had 8-OHdG concentrations < 8.01. ng/mg creatinine. Conclusions: Elevated urine 8-OHdG concentrations in early pregnancy appear to be associated with increased GDM risk.