Changes in serum lipid and lipoprotein concentrations and compositions at birth and after 1 month of life in macrosomic infants of insulin-dependent diabetic mothers.

The aim of this study was to determine whether macrosomia related to maternal diabetes alters lipoprotein metabolism and whether these abnormalities still persist or regress after 1 month of life. Serum lipoprotein compositions and concentrations as well as serum lipid fatty acid compositions were investigated in macrosomic infants (birth weight = 4840 +/- 105 g at term) of insulin-dependent diabetic mothers at birth and after 1 month of life, and were compared to those of control infants (birth weight = 3400 +/- 198 g at term) of healthy mothers. Compared to controls, at birth, macrosomic newborns had higher serum lipids, apolipoprotein A-I and B-100, and lipoprotein (very low density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein-2 and high density lipoprotein-3) levels. Higher percentages of C18:2n-6 in serum triacylglycerols, phospholipids and cholesteryl esters were also observed. At day 30, in macrosomics, serum triacylglycerol, apo B-100, very low density lipoprotein and low density lipoprotein levels were still significantly higher. C18:2n-6 and C18:3n-3 contents in serum phospholipids, triacylglycerols and cholesteryl esters were reduced while C20:4n-6 and C22:6n-3 contents in serum phospholipids and cholesteryl esters were enhanced, compared to control values. Macrosomia was associated with alterations in lipoprotein compositions and concentrations at birth, some of which persisted after 1 month of life, and might play a role in the pathogenesis of diabetes and atherosclerosis in adult life.