Plasma lipoproteins were studied longitudinally at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimester of gestation and at postpartum and postlactation in 12 age-matched PGDM women, 9 GDM women, and 12 healthy control subjects. FPG and HbA1c were higher in every case in PGDM women than in control subjects, whereas in GDM patients, glucose was augmented only after parturition. FFA and beta-hydroxybutyrate levels were higher in both PGDM and GDM patients than in control subjects during gestation but not after parturition. Total TGs and VLDL, LDL, and HDL TGs increased with gestational time in the three groups and declined at postpartum, and although total cholesterol and VLDL, LDL, and HDL cholesterol followed a similar trend, their rise was less pronounced, and the decline after parturition was slower than that of the TGs in the three groups, with no difference among them. The VLDL TG/cholesterol ratio declined in the three groups at the 3rd gestational trimester, whereas in both LDL and HDL, the TG/cholesterol ratio, but not the cholesterol/phospholipid ratio, increased during gestation in the three groups, indicating a specific enrichment of TGs in these particles. The increase in apoA-I and apoB with gestation was parallel to the respective changes in HDL and LDL cholesterol and, again, no difference was observed between the three groups. Plasma levels of beta-estradiol, progesterone, and prolactin increased sharply with gestation and declined at postpartum in the three groups, but absolute values of beta-estradiol and prolactin, at the three trimesters of gestation, were lower in PGDM patients, but progesterone levels were lower than controls in GDM women only at the 3rd trimester. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aims/hypothesis: We evaluated diabetes-related pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of Spanish women in relation to their glucose tolerance status, prepregnancy BMI and other predictive variables. Methods: The present paper is part of a prospective study to evaluate the impact of American Diabetes Association (2000) criteria in the Spanish population. A total of 9,270 pregnant women were studied and categorised as follows according to prepregnancy BMI quartiles and glucose tolerance status: (1) negative screenees; (2) false-positive screenees; (3) gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) according to American Diabetes Association criteria only; and (4) GDM according to National Diabetes Data Group criteria (NDDG). We evaluated fetal macrosomia, Caesarean section and seven secondary outcomes as diabetes-related pregnancy outcomes. The population-attributable and population-prevented fractions of predictor variables were calculated after binary logistic regression analysis with multiple predictors. Results: Both prepregnancy BMI and abnormal glucose tolerance categories were independent predictors of pregnancy outcomes. The upper quartile of BMI accounted for 23% of macrosomia, 9.4% of Caesarean section, 50% of pregnancy-induced hypertension and 17.6% of large-for-gestational-age newborns. In contrast, NDDG GDM accounted for 3.8% of macrosomia, 9.1% of pregnancy-induced hypertension and 3.4% of preterm births. Conclusions/ interpretation: In terms of population impact, prepregnancy maternal BMI exhibits a much stronger influence than abnormal blood glucose tolerance on macrosomia, Caesarean section, pregnancy-induced hypertension and large-for-gestational-age newborns.

Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol concentration has been the prime index of cardiovascular disease risk and the main target for therapy. However, several lipoprotein ratios or "atherogenic indices" have been defined in an attempt to optimize the predictive capacity of the lipid profile. In this review, we summarize their pathophysiological aspects, and highlight the rationale for using these lipoprotein ratios as cardiovascular risk factors in clinical practice, specifying their cut-off risk levels and a target for lipid-lowering therapy. Total/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and LDL/HDL cholesterol ratios are risk indicators with greater predictive value than isolated parameters used independently, particularly LDL. Future recommendations regarding the diagnosis and treatment of dyslipidemia, including instruments for calculating cardiovascular risk or action guidelines, should include the lipoprotein ratios with greater predictive power which, in view of the evidence-based results, are none other than those which include HDL cholesterol.

OBJECTIVE -The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of cardiovascular risk factors to impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and to impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in women with prior gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -We studied 838 women with prior GDM. Postpartum glucose tolerance status was classified as normal, IFG, IGT, IFG plus IGT, and diabetes according to the World Health Organization criteria. Postpartum BMI, waist circumference, blood pressure, triglyceride, cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol were assessed.RESULTS -BMI and blood pressure were significantly higher in women with IFG than in women with normal glucose status. BMI and waist circumference were significantly higher in women with IFG plus IGT than in women with normal glucose status. No differences were observed between women with IGT and normal glucose status. The prevalence of hypertension and obesity was significantly increased in IFG compared with normal glucose status. The prevalence of obesity and abnormal lipids was significantly increased in IFG plus IGT compared with normal glucose status. IGT showed no increased prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors.CONCLUSIONS -Traditional cardiovascular risk factors have a stronger association with isolated IFG than with isolated IGT in women with prior GDM. Diabetes Care 26:2318 -2322, 2003W omen with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at an increased risk for the development of diabetes (usually type 2) after pregnancy (1). Likewise, women with prior GDM, when compared with women with no history of GDM, are found to have higher BMI (2), higher blood pressure (3,4), and an altered lipid profile with increased LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels and decreased HDL cholesterol levels (2-4). Furthermore, changes in endothelial function (5) and increased levels of adhesion molecules (6), together with a higher prevalence of microalbuminuria (7), abnormal electrocardiograms, and cardiovascular events (3) are observed in women with prior GDM. This spectrum of abnormalities is associated with insulin resistance even in situations of normal glucose tolerance (8,9).On the other hand, the establishment of two intermediate categories between normal glucose homeostasis and diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance [IGT] and impaired fasting glucose [IFG]) (10) has raised concern in which of these disturbances has a major role in predicting the development of type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease.The aim of this study was to investigate the association of cardiovascular risk factors to IGT and IFG in the postpartum evaluation of women with GDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -This research was conducted in the Diabetes and PregnancyUnit at the University Hospital La Paz in Madrid between 1992 and 2000. We studied 838 Caucasian women (mean age 32.4 Ϯ 4.6 years; mean parity 1.8 Ϯ 0.9) with singleton gestations complicated by GDM and who attended the initial postpartum assessment (3-6 months after delivery) when lactation was concluded. The total number of women...

There is sexual dimorphism in the risk of abnormal birth weight attributed to maternal glucose tolerance status. A closer surveillance of foetal growth might be warranted in pregnant women with abnormal glucose tolerance carrying a male fetus.