Impact of prior gestational diabetes on long-term type 2 diabetes complications

Aims: While women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and at a younger age, it is unknown whether T2DM following GDM is associated with worse clinical outcomes. This study aims to examine the impact of GDM on subsequent development of long-term complications of T2DM. Methods: All women with T2DM from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a na-tionally representative cross-sectional survey of US population, between 2007 and 2018 (n = 2494) were stratified into two groups: those with a history of GDM (n = 385) and those without (n = 2109). Rates of macrovascular and microvascular complications of T2DM were compared between the two groups using bivariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Of 2494 participants with T2DM included in the analysis, 385 (15.4 %) had a history of GDM and 2109 (84.6 %) did not. A history of GDM was independently associated with increased risk of myocardial infarction (aOR 2.53, 95%Cl: 1.18-5.40) and likely coronary artery disease (aOR 2.15, 95 % Cl: 1.00-4.66). Conclusions: In this cohort, women with T2DM and a history of GDM had higher risk of macrovascular com-plications of myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease, compared to those with no history of gestational diabetes.

Automated summary

This study found that women with a history of GDM and T2DM are more prone to macrovascular complications, including myocardial infarction and coronary artery disease.