Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance: prevalence in women with prior gestational diabetes, using two different classifications

Objective. To determine the metabolic syndrome prevalence using the ATPIII and the IDF definitions and that of each criterion and to study the differences. To relate the presence of insulin resistance with metabolic syndrome diagnostic. Materials and methods. A total of 1,080 women diagnosed of gestational diabetes who came to follow up were studied. Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was determined using the ATPIII and the IDF classification and prevalence of each criterion independently. The HOMA insulin resistance index was determined in 575 patients. Results. Metabolic syndrome prevalence was 9.3% according to the ATPIII classification and 17.4% according to the IDF, this coinciding in 94 cases. Only the IDF classification criteria were fulfilled in 94 cases due to abdominal obesity in 13.8%, to fasting glucose in 17% and to both criteria in 69.8%. Six cases only met the ATPIII classification due to absence of abdominal obesity. The HOMA index value was 4.9 (+/- 3.5) and 4.0 (+/- 3) for women diagnosed of metabolic syndrome using the ATPIII or the IDF classification, respectively. Insulin resistance prevalence was 13.7%. The Kappa index of agreement was 0.411 between metabolic syndrome diagnostic by ATPIII and insulin resistance and 0.352 for IDF. Conclusions. Metabolic syndrome prevalence is almost double when the IDF classification is used than with the ATPIII due to the more strict value of fasting glucose and abdominal obesity. The ATPIII classification better identifies insulin resistance presence than that of IDF. (C) 2008 Elsevier Espana, S.L. All rights reserved.