The Role of GAS6 Protein in the Diagnosis of Gestational Diabetes and Its Impact on Pregnancy Outcomes

Aim: Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common metabolic disorder that threatens both maternal and fetal health during pregnancy. In this study, serum GAS6 levels were evaluated in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus and their relationship with oral glucose tolerance test results and neonatal findings were analysed.Materials and Methods: The study included 91 pregnant women with gestational diabetes and 86 healthy pregnant women who underwent 75 g oral glucose tolerance test between 24-28 weeks of gestation. Serum GAS6 levels were measured by ELISA in additional blood samples obtained during the oral glucose tolerance test. GAS6 levels were compared with maternal and neonatal parameters and their diagnostic value was evaluated by ROC analysis.Results: GAS6 levels were significantly higher in the gestational diabetes group. High GAS6 levels were associated with caesarean section rate, neonatal intubation and need for intensive care. ROC analysis showed that GAS6 had a high diagnostic performance (AUC: 0.91).Conclusions: Serum GAS6 levels can be considered as a potential biomarker in the diagnosis of gestational diabetes. It may also contribute to clinical applications in terms of predicting perinatal outcomes.