Lipocalin-2 (LCN2) is becoming recognized as a pleiotropic mediator of metabolic
disorders. However, the relationship between LCN2 and gestational diabetes
mellitus (GDM) is not well understood. We performed a systematic review and
meta-analysis to explore it. A systematic search of Cochrane Library, PubMed,
Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, and
Wan-fang Database was done for relevant articles published up to September 29,
2021. Standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals
(CI) was calculated to explore the association of LCN2 levels with GDM using
Revman 5.3 and Stata 15.1. Fifteen case-control studies were included in this
meta-analysis. The patients with GDM had significantly higher levels of blood
LCN2 than parturients with normal glucose tolerance (SMD=3.41,
95% CI=2.24 to 4.58). Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were
conducted to investigate the source of heterogeneity. Likely sources of
heterogeneity were age and testing methods. This study found that GDM showed
higher blood LCN2 levels than controls. However, caution is warranted on the
interpretation of these findings. Standardized LCN2 measurement methods and
longitudinal studies are required to disentangle and better understand the
relationships observed.