SERUM ZINC AND CHROMIUM LEVELS IN PAKISTANI WOMEN WITH GESTATIONAL DIABETES

Background: Various micronutrients have a critical impact in glucose metabolism and their deficiencies elevate the risk of GDM development. Objective: To measure the levels of serum zinc and chromium in pregnant females and compare their mean values in patients with GDM and non-GDM. Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was executed on 100 pregnant women, including 50 women with GDM and 50 normal healthy women, presented at presented in the OPD of Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Services Hospital, Lahore. All women underwent 75g oral glucose tolerance test and blood tests for evaluation of serum chromium and zinc concentrations. Results: Mean age of patients in GDM and non-GDM group was 27.42 ± 5.04 years and 26.90 ± 4.48 (p = 0.587) years, respectively. In patients with GDM, the chromium level was 0.06 ± 0.06 μg/L, while in non-GDM patients, it was 0.12 ± 0.11 μg/L, with a p-value of 0.003. Similarly, the zinc level was 0.87 ± 0.86 μg/dL in GDM patients and 1.60 ± 1.48 μg/dL in non-GDM patients (p = 0.002). Fasting blood sugar level, blood sugar levels after 1 and 2 hours of glucose intake, and insulin levels were significantly elevated in GDM group (p <0.05, each). Conclusion: The findings present that lower serum levels of zinc and chromium are linked with GDM in Pakistani women. These results underscore the significance of routine screening for micronutrient deficiencies in pregnant females, especially those at high risk for GDM.