A closer look at Galectin-3: its association with gestational diabetes mellitus revealed by systematic review and meta-analysis

Seyed Sobhan Bahreiny; Akram Ahangarpour; Mojtaba Aghaei; Reza Mohammadpour Fard; Mohammad Ali Jalali Far; Tannaz Sakhavarz

doi:10.1007/s40200-024-01461-z

A closer look at Galectin-3: its association with gestational diabetes mellitus revealed by systematic review and meta-analysis

J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2024 Jul 6;23(2):1621-1633. doi: 10.1007/s40200-024-01461-z. eCollection 2024 Dec.

Authors

Seyed Sobhan Bahreiny^{1

2

3}, Akram Ahangarpour^{1

3}, Mojtaba Aghaei^{2

4}, Reza Mohammadpour Fard², Mohammad Ali Jalali Far⁴, Tannaz Sakhavarz⁵

Affiliations

¹ Medicinal Plant Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
² Student Research Committee, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
³ Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Physiology Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
⁴ Thalassemia & Hemoglobinopathy Research Center, Health Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
⁵ Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Science, Kharazmi University, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

Purpose: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) represents a significant metabolic disorder that affects pregnant women worldwide and has negative consequences for both the mother and her offspring. This research aims to investigate the relation between circulating levels of Galectin-3 and the incidence of GDM, and to evaluate its potential as a biomarker for monitoring and early detection of the disease.

Methods: A thorough search of the literature has been performed using databases such as Scopus, Web of science, Embase, Cochrane Library and PubMed. The standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding confidence intervals (CIs) were used to compute the effect size from individual records and pooled using the Random-effect model.

Results: Our meta-analysis synthesized data from 9 studies, encompassing 1,286 participants (533 GDM patients and 753 healthy pregnant controls). The findings demonstrated a considerable increase in Galectin-3 levels among individuals diagnosed with GDM as compared to the healthy control (SMD = 0.929; CI: 0.179-1.679; p = 0.015), with observed heterogeneity (I² = 87%; p < 0.001). Subgroup analyses revealed the influence of factors such as age, BMI, study design, and sample type on Galectin-3 levels. A meta-regression analysis further identified trends indicating that levels of Galectin-3 are linked to gestational age, specific geographical areas, and sample size.

Conclusion: Increased levels of Galectin-3 exhibit a significant association with GDM, indicating its prospective utility as a biomarker for early detection and risk assessment. Further research is warranted to elucidate its regulation and clinical implications in GDM management.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-024-01461-z.

Keywords: Biomarker; Galectin-3; Gestational diabetes mellitus; Meta-analysis; Systematic review.

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Publication types

Review