The relationship between plasma taurine levels in early pregnancy and later gestational diabetes mellitus risk in Chinese pregnant women

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid that plays an important role in glucose homeostasis. However, it remains unknown whether the plasma concentration of taurine affects the risk of later gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) development. We recruited 398 singleton-pregnancy women and followed up them during the course of pregnancy. We measured the plasma concentrations of taurine based on blood samples collected at nine-week gestation on average and obtained the data regarding both mothers and their infants from medical records. There was a significant increment in the mean value of HOMA-β across the tertiles of plasma taurine in multiparous women rather than in primiparous women. After adjustment for confounders, an increase of plasma taurine was nominally and significantly associated with a decrease risk of GDM; moreover, women with plasma taurine concentrations in the lowest tertile and in the second tertile had a higher risk of GDM than did those with plasma taurine in the top tertile in multiparous women other than primiparous women. Plasma taurine level seems to be associated with insulin secretion in early pregnancy and be more closely associated with β-cell function and the risk of GDM development in multiparas in comparison to primiparas.