Early postpartum abnormal glucose metabolism subtype differs according to mid-trimester lipid profile in women with gestational diabetes mellitus

Background It is unknown whether early postpartum abnormal glucose metabolism (AGM) in women with previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is related to their mid-trimester lipid profile. The aim of this study was to characterize the mid-trimester lipid profile of women who experienced GDM and developed into different pathophysiologic subtypes of early postpartum AGM. Methods A retrospective cohort study of 498 women with history of GDM was conducted. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and plasma lipid measurements were performed at 24-28 weeks of gestation and 6-12 weeks of postpartum. Insulin secretion and sensitivity were estimated using early postpartum OGTT-based indices. Results Women in the mid-trimester dyslipidemia group had higher postpartum 30-min and 2-h plasma glucose, higher postpartum 2-h plasma insulin, higher postpartum triglyceride (TG), higher postpartum low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) concentrations, lower postpartum 30-min insulinogenic index (IGI(30)), lower postpartum insulin sensitivity index (ISI), and lower postpartum disposition index than those in the normal lipid group (all P < 0.05). Abnormal mid-trimester TG and LDL-c concentrations were associated with postpartum AGM (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 1.786, 95 % confidence interval [CI] = 1.142-2.425; and adjusted OR = 1.621, 95 % CI = 1.323-2.051, respectively; both P < 0.05). AGM women with low IGI(30) and low ISI had higher mid-trimester total cholesterol and LDL-c concentrations, and AGM women with low ISI had higher mid-trimester TG concentrations than women with NGT or other subtypes of AGM (all P < 0.05). Conclusions GDM women with abnormal mid-trimester TG and LDL-c were predisposed to early postpartum AGM. Postpartum AGM women who experienced GDM had heterogeneous mid-trimester lipid profile when classified according to their pathophysiologic subtype.