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Early impairment of beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity characterizes normotolerant Caucasian women with previous gestational diabetes.

Lencioni C, Volpe L, Miccoli R, Cuccuru I, Chatzianagnostou K, Ghio A, Benzi L, Bonadonna RC, Del Prato S, Di Cianni G

Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Section of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases, University of Pisa and Azienda Ospedaliera Pisana, Ospedale Cisanello, Via Paradisa 2, I-56126 Pisa, Italy.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Women with previous gestational diabetes (pGDM) are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. The aim of this study was to evaluate insulin action and insulin secretion in women with pGDM. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred and fifty-three pGDM women and 45 with normal glucose tolerance during pregnancy (controls) were studied 1-3years after delivery. Insulin sensitivity (ISI) and beta-cell secretory capacity (beta-index) were derived from 75-g OGTT. Disposition Index was calculated as the product of beta-index and ISI. One hundred and twenty-two pGDM were normotolerant (NGT) and 31 had impaired glucose regulation (IGR) i.e. impaired glucose tolerance and/or impaired fasting glucose. NGT-pGDM, as compared to controls, had significant impairment in insulin action (ISI: 5.46+/-2.81 vs. 7.38+/-3.68, P<0.01) and insulin secretion (beta-index: 4.68+/-1.01 vs. 5.24+/-0.82 pmol/min/m(2); P<0.01). A further impairment was apparent in IGR-pGDM for beta-index (4.16+/-1.09; P<0.05). The disposition index was reduced in NGT-pGDM as compared to controls (33.9%) and further reduced in IGR-pGDM (28.6%, vs. NGT-pGDM; ANOVA P<0.001). In women of normal weight, ISI and beta-index were significantly (P<0.01) impaired in NGT-pGDM compared to controls and further reduced in IGR-pGDM, although a more pronounced defect in insulin secretion was apparent in these women (beta-index: 4.02+/-0.9; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Normotolerant women with pGDM show both impairment in insulin secretion and action irrespective of body weight. A more pronounced defect in insulin secretion seems to characterize normal weight women while a more prominent defect in insulin action is found in overweight women.

Published 3 October 2006 in Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis, 16(7): 485-93.
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