Background: Relationships between adhesion molecules (AM), oxidative stress, gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and future development of type 2 diabetes mellitus are unclear.
Aim: We investigated AM and oxidant/antioxidant markers in women with previous history of GDM.
Subjects and methods: Postpartum women with GDM (cases; n = 41) and healthy women (controls; n = 21) had clinical and laboratory variables measured, including indicators of vascular damage (ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and E-selectin), oxidative stress (LPO, GSH and GST) and antioxidant markers (catalase, SOD, GPX and TAC).
Results: Previous GDM versus control women presented higher body mass index: 27.4 ± 5.6 versus 23.9 ± 3.6 (p = 0.013); waist circumference: 85.2 ± 12.9 versus 77.5 ± 9.0 (p = 0.017); MetS (WHO definition): 14.6 versus 0 % (p = 0.012); MetS (NCEP-ATPIII definition): 22 versus 0 % (p = 0.002); low HDL: 36.6 versus 9.5 % (p = 0.024); fasting glucose (mmol/L): 5.4 ± 0.6 versus 4.9 ± 0.2 (p < 0.001); glucose 120 min (mg/dL): 105.0 ± 30.2 versus 85.1 ± 14.2 (p = 0.007); fasting insulin (μU/mL): 13.4 ± 8.1 versus 8.4 ± 4.3 (p = 0.004); HOMA index: 3.3 ± 2.3 versus 1.8 ± 1.0 (p = 0.002); HbA1c (%/mmol/mol): 5.4 ± 0.2 versus 5.2 ± 0.2/36 ± 1.4 versus 33 ± 1.4 (p = 0.021); uric acid (mg/dL): 4.1 ± 1 versus 3.5 ± 0.6 (p = 0.009); catalase (nmol/min/mL): 38.7 ± 15.6 versus 28.9 ± 11.1 (p = 0.013). There were no significant differences in hypertension prevalence, lipid fractions, albumin/creatinine ratio and AM.
Conclusions: Women with previous GDM have high catalase levels which correlate positively with glucose intolerance, indicating the potential effect of oxidative stress on postpartum dysglycemic status.