Triglycerides as an early pathophysiological marker of endothelial dysfunction in nondiabetic women with a previous history of gestational diabetes

To investigate whether baseline triglyceride levels are associated with early glucose dysregulation and/or cardiovascular risk in women with a previous history of gestational diabetes.Prospective postpregnancy cohort study.Polish university hospitals.Participants included 125 women with previous gestational diabetes and 40 women with normal glucose regulation during pregnancy.All women were studied 2-24 months (mean 12 ± 10 months) after the index pregnancy. Women with previous gestational diabetes were divided into tertiles in accordance with baseline triglyceride levels.We assessed glucose regulation (oral glucose tolerance test), insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment), markers of endothelial dysfunction (soluble: intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, E-selectin, tissue plasminogen activator antigen, von Willebrand factor antigen), fibrinolysis (plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen), inflammation (high-sensitivity C-reactive protein) and lipid levels.Women with previous gestational diabetes (78% normal glucose regulation, 22% impaired glucose tolerance) had a high cardiometabolic risk profile compared with control women (100% normal glucose regulation). Baseline triglycerides0.83 mmol/l were associated with a higher prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance, higher high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio. Triglycerides1.22 mmol/l were associated with higher body fat indexes, higher insulin resistance, higher levels of endothelial dysfunction biomarkers, higher plasminogen activator inhibitor antigen and dyslipidemia. Only E-selectin was independently associated with triglyceride levels.Baseline triglyceride levels are a cardiovascular risk marker as well as a pathophysiological parameter independently associated with endothelial dysfunction in nondiabetic women with previous gestational diabetes at 2-24 months after an index pregnancy. Normalization of triglycerides should be included in preventive therapy after a pregnancy complicated by gestational diabetes.