Circulating sex hormone binding globulin: An integrating biomarker for an adverse cardio-metabolic profile in obese pregnant women

PLoS One. 2018 Oct 15;13(10):e0205592. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205592. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) negatively associates with pre-gestational body mass index (BMI) and gestational weight gain. The link with other cardio-metabolic risk factors in pregnant women is poorly understood. Our aim was to study the association of SHBG levels with common cardio-metabolic risk parameters in pregnant woman. Serum SHBG was quantified in 291 Caucasian pregnant women (142 with normal weight, 42 with pregestational obesity, 50 with gestational obesity and 57 with pregestational plus gestational obesity) with uncomplicated pregnancies and parturition. Cardio-metabolic [C-reactive protein (CRP), blood pressure (BP), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbAc1), glucose, C-peptide, insulin, triglycerides and high molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin], and endocrine [testosterone and estradiol] parameters were also assessed. SHBG was negatively correlated with BMI, but also with CRP, BP, HbAc1, pre and post-load glucose, C-peptide, HOMA-IR, triglycerides; and positively with HMW adiponectin (all p<0.01 to p<0.0001). These associations were more robust in women with pregestational plus gestational obesity, who had lower SHBG, in comparison to normal-weight women (p<0.0001). In multivariate analyses in women with pregestational plus gestational obesity SHBG showed independent associations with CRP (β = -0.352, p = 0.03, R2 = 8.0%), DBP (β = -0.353, p = 0.03, R2 = 7.0%) and SBP (β = -0.333, p = 0.04, R2 = 6.0%) independently of BMI and metabolic and endocrine parameters. SHBG is decreased in pregnant women with pregestational plus gestational obesity in association with common cardio-metabolic parameters. SHBG could represent an integrating biomarker for an adverse cardio-metabolic profile in pregnant women with pregestational plus gestational obesity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adiponectin / blood
  • Adult
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Blood Glucose
  • Blood Pressure
  • Body Mass Index
  • C-Peptide / blood
  • C-Reactive Protein / metabolism
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • Glycated Hemoglobin / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Obesity / blood*
  • Obesity / complications
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / blood*
  • Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / metabolism*
  • Triglycerides / blood
  • White People

Substances

  • ADIPOQ protein, human
  • Adiponectin
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Glucose
  • C-Peptide
  • Glycated Hemoglobin A
  • Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
  • Triglycerides
  • C-Reactive Protein

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (http://www.isciii.es), Madrid, Spain (grant numbers PI14/01625 to JB and PI16/01335 to AL-B), projects co-funded by FEDER (Fondo Europeo de Desarrollo Regional). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.