Metabonomics fingerprint of volatile organic compounds in serum and urine of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a metabolic disease with an increasing annual incidence rate. Our previous observational study found that pregnant women with GDM had mild cognitive decline. AIM: To analyze the changes in metabonomics in pregnant women with GDM and explore the mechanism of cognitive function decline. METHODS: Thirty GDM patients and 30 healthy pregnant women were analyzed. Solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to detect organic matter in plasma and urine samples. Statistical analyses were conducted using principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis. RESULTS: Differential volatile metabolites in the serum of pregnant women with GDM included hexanal, 2-octen-1-ol, and 2-propanol. Differential volatile metabolites in the urine of these women included benzene, cyclohexanone, 1-hexanol, and phenol. Among the differential metabolites, the conversion of 2-propanol to acetone may further produce methylglyoxal. Therefore, 2-propanol may be a potential marker for serum methylglyoxal. CONCLUSION: 2-propanol may be a potential volatile marker to evaluate cognitive impairment in pregnant women with GDM.