Postpartum dyslipidaemia in women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus

• Published in: Irish journal of medical science 2017-05, Vol.186 (2), p.403-407
• Main Authors: O’Higgins, A. C., O’Dwyer, Vicky, O’Connor, Clare, Daly, Sean F., Kinsley, Brendan T., Turner, Michael J.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; Diabetes, Gestational - diagnosis; Dyslipidemias - diagnosis; Family Medicine; Female; General Practice; Humans; Internal Medicine; Lipids - blood; Lipoproteins, LDL - blood; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Original Article; Postpartum Period; Pregnancy; Prospective Studies; Risk Factors; Triglycerides - blood; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0021-1265; 1863-4362
• DOI: 10.1007/s11845-016-1474-y

Background Diabetes mellitus is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease which should prompt screening for other cardiovascular risk factors, including dyslipidaemia. Women diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are not routinely screened for cardiovascular risk factors. Aims The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of dyslipidaemia postpartum in women with GDM. Methods The study was performed in a large university hospital. Women with GDM had a fasting lipid profile performed 6 weeks postnatally. Clinical details were obtained from the medical records. Lipid results in our cohort were compared with healthy women of the same age. Results The overall prevalence of postpartum dyslipidaemia was 52 % ( n  = 51). Total cholesterol was raised in 44 % ( n  = 43), low-density lipoprotein was raised in 33 % ( n  = 32) and triglycerides were raised in 16 % ( n  = 16). Of the 51 women with dyslipidaemia, 73 % ( n  = 37) had more than one abnormality in their lipid profile. Four of the five women with an abnormal postpartum GTT had an abnormal lipid profile. Compared with healthy women of the same age, women with GDM had higher total cholesterol ( p  = 0.04), higher LDL ( p  = 0.003), higher triglycerides ( p