Gestational diabetes and subclinical inflammation: Evaluation of first year postpartum outcomes

AimThe aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between sublinical inflammation and glycemic status in patients with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).MethodsSixty-one patients with GDM and 40 healthy pregnant women were included in the study. Fasting blood glucose (FBG), insulin, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), lipid parameters and carotid artery intima-media thickness (CIMT) were measured. Fifty-five of the patients with GDM returned for a follow-up visit scheduled at 1-year post-partum. These patients were subjected to 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) followed by an evaluation of metabolic and subclinical inflammatory parameters were evaluated.ResultsThe mean FBG, insulin, homeostasis model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride (TG), hsCRP levels and CIMT in the women with GDM were significantly higher than those in the control group. C-reactive protein and CIMT were positively correlated with insulin, HOMA-IR, glucose value at the time of the OGTT 50, prepregnancy body mass index, TG and FBG. Multivariate logistic regression analysis on patients with sustained hyperglycemia one-year postpartum revealed elevated hsCRP levels to be independent risk factors for the development of dysglycemia.ConclusionsElevated hsCRP levels could be predictors of progression to T2DM later in life in patients with GDM.