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INTRODUCTION: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has often been referred to as the “marker” for the development of diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular diseases in future lives of women. In the current literature the adiponectin-leptin ratio is presented as a valuable index to estimate adipose tissue dysfunction. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate the significance of a novel parameter, i.e. the ratio of serum concentration of secreted frizzled-related protein 5 (SFRP5) to that of leptin in the early post-partum period. The associations between SFRP5/leptin ratio and maternal laboratory test results, body composition and hydration status were also assessed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 26 mothers diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and 28 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Body composition and hydration status of the patients were evaluated with the use of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. The serum concentrations of SFRP5, leptin, fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) and ghrelin were determined via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: SFRP5/leptin ratio was lower in the GDM mothers in comparison to that of the control group. There were positive correlations between SFRP5/leptin ratio and total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels. The SFRP5/leptin ratio correlated negatively with total body water (TBW) and extracellular water (ECW). CONCLUSIONS: The SFRP5/leptin ratio appears to be a promising index for evaluating of metabolic disturbances in mothers with a history of GDM.

Among novel adipokines fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) seems to be one of the most promising predictors of long-term metabolic pregnancy complications. The aim of the study was to evaluate FABP4 serum/urine gradients which are quotients of the serum FABP4 concentrations to the urine in women with excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) in the early post-partum period, with reference to their laboratory test results, body composition and hydration status. The study subjects were divided into three groups: 24 mothers with EGWG, 22 GDM patients and 24 healthy controls. Maternal body composition and hydration status were evaluated by the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) method. Concentrations of FABP4, leptin, and ghrelin were determined via ELISA. The FABP4 serum/urine gradients were comparable in the three studied groups. This parameter was positively associated with the serum FABP4 level only in the control group, whereas it was highly negatively related to the urine FABP4 concentrations in all the three studied groups. We found positive correlations between the FABP4 serum/urine gradients with albumin and LDL concentrations but only in the healthy controls. No correlation was found between the FABP4 serum/urine gradient and biochemical results in the EGWG and GDM groups. The FABP4 serum/urine gradient positively correlated with all the studied BIA variables with the exception of extracellular water (ECW) in the healthy group. The EGWG group was characterized by positive correlations between the FABP4 serum/urine gradient and lean tissue index as well as negative correlations with ECW. No correlations were observed between this parameter and BIA findings in the GDM group. Our results seem to confirm that further studies should not be limited to evaluation of serum FABP4 levels only.

Introduction and the aim: There has been an alarming rise in the incidence of overweight and obesity worldwide. The prevalence of maternal obesity has more than doubled from 7.6 to 15.6% over the last two decades. The aim of the study is to compare findings of the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) and body weight changes during 5-6 months after delivery depending on gestational weight gain (GWG) as well as pre-pregnancy body mass index (PPBMI). Material and methods: The study participants (76 mothers) were divided into groups according to PPBMI and GWG: 1. group (n=59) - PPBMI

This study presents a mathematical model for economic analysis of diets composed of different ingredients. Variables such as intake and weight gain, and economic variables such as relative prices of the ingredients were considered. Twenty-four crossbred lambs, with initial age and weight of 70 days and 22 ± 1.61 kg, respectively, and final live weight of 37 ± 2.16 kg, were fed with high concentrate diets, containing different types of grains (cracked corn, whole grain corn, sorghum and millet). The animals were distributed in a complete randomized block design with four treatments and six replications, fed during 66 days and then slaughtered. The economic analysis was performed through three steps: a comparison of the productivities of production factors, comparison of commercial gross margins and comparison of the relative prices of factors of production. There was no statistical difference between the technical efficiency of the four treatments (P>0.05). Treatments based on whole maize and millet presented higher economic efficiency. The use of cracked corn to replace the whole maize would only be recommended with certainty whether their prices were 24% lower than whole maize. Observing the historical behavior of prices of sorghum and millet, they could replace corn with no significant loss of production performance.