Objective To study the correlation between different types of serum vitamins and insulin resistance, serum cytokines in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).

Methods A total of 150 pregnant women of 24-28 weeks' gestation who underwent oral glucose tolerance test in the obstetrics outpatient clinic were selected, among which 38 patients with combined GDM served as group A, 112 pregnant women with normal glucose tolerance served as group B, and 50 women of childbearing age who underwent health checkups during the same period of time were selected as group C.Serum vitamin (Vit) A, VitC, VitD, VitE and cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, chemotaxis, and adiponectin (APN) levels were detected in the three groups, the levels of blood glucose and fasting insulin (F-Ins) and 2 h insulin after glucose (2h-Ins) were tested, and the index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and insulin sensitivity index (HOMA-ISI) were calculated.

Results There was no significant difference in serum VitA and VitC among group A, group B and group C (P > 0.05).The serum VitD, VitE and HOMA-ISI level in group A were significantly lower than those in group B and group C (P < 0.05), while serum F-Ins, 2h-Ins, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, chemerin and HOMA-IR level were significantly higher than those in group B and group C (P < 0.05).The level of VitD and VitE were negatively correlated with serum F-Ins, 2h-Ins, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, chemerin and HOMA-IR level (P < 0.05), and positively correlated with HOMA-ISI level and serum APN (P < 0.05).

Conclusions VitD and VitE deficiency in patients with GDM may be associated with increased insulin resistance and secretion of proinflammatory factors.