Lack of predictive power of plasma lipids or lipoproteins for gestational diabetes mellitus in Japanese women

AIMS/INTRODUCTION To determine the diagnostic potential of plasma lipids and apolipoproteins in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), we carried out a retrospective cohort study of 1,161 Japanese women at 20-28 weeks of gestation who underwent a glucose challenge test (GCT). MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 1,161 Japanese women at 20-28 weeks of gestation underwent a GCT. Participants with a positive test (GCT[+]) underwent a subsequent oral glucose tolerance test. Clinical and biochemical parameters were determined and quantification of apolipoproteins (Apo), including ApoB, ApoB48, ApoA-I and ApoC-III, was carried out. RESULTS The prevalence of GCT(+; with a 130 mg/dL glucose cut-off) and GDM was 20% and 4%, respectively. There was a trend for increased triglycerides and ApoC-III in GDM(+) participants. However, the difference in plasma triglycerides, ApoC-III or ApoB48 did not reach statistical significance between GDM(+) and GDM(-) women. Values of 1-h glucose (P < 0.001) and fasting glucose (P = 0.002) were significant risk factors for GDM. CONCLUSIONS Prediction of GDM using only the ApoC-III value is not easy, although triglycerides and ApoC-III were higher in the GDM(+) group. The present findings show no significant difference in plasma lipid levels between women diagnosed with GDM and those with normal glucose tolerance.