Remnant Cholesterol Is Associated With Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: A Cohort Study

Abstract

Context The association between remnant cholesterol (RC) and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) risk is unclear. Objective This study investigated the association between RC and GDM. Methods We used data from the Tongji Maternal and Child Health Cohort, a prospective cohort study in China. Fasting lipid concentrations were measured around 16 weeks’ gestation. RC was calculated as total cholesterol minus low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. GDM was diagnosed by a 75-g oral-glucose-tolerance test (OGTT) at 24–28 weeks’ gestation. Log-Poisson regression models were performed to estimate RRs of GDM across quartiles of RC levels and triglyceride (TG) levels after adjustment for potential confounds. TG and RC were mutually adjusted. Results Among 2528 women, 256 (10.1%) of them developed GDM. The adjusted RRs (95% CIs) for GDM across increasing quartiles of RC were 1.00 (reference), 1.35 (0.91, 1.99), 1.68 (1.16, 2.45), and 1.73 (1.19, 2.50), respectively. Compared to pregnant women without three risk indicators (TG <2.08 mmol/L, RC <0.40 mmol/L, and pre-BMI <24.0kg/m2), the risk of GDM elevated in those with normal pre-BMI but high RC (aRR:1.54; 95%CI: 1.08, 2.19) or high TG (aRR:2.15; 95%CI: 1.33, 3.49). For those with all three risk indicators, the risk of GDM was the highest (aRR:4.80; 95%CI: 3.20, 7.18). Conclusion Elevated RC levels were associated with the increased risk of GDM and independent of traditional risk factors. Pregnant women with high pre-BMI, high TG, and high RC were greatly increased the risk of GDM.