Inflammation Among Women With a History of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Diagnosed Diabetes in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—We compared inflammatory markers among women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (hGDM), women with diagnosed diabetes, and unaffected women in a population-based sample. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We conducted cross-sectional analyses of 6,346 nonpregnant women in the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988–1994). Women were classified as having hGDM (n = 87), diagnosed diabetes (n = 244), or neither condition (n = 6,015). Inflammatory markers included ferritin, leukocyte count, and C-reactive protein levels. RESULTS—After adjustment, women with diagnosed diabetes had the most marked differences in inflammatory markers compared with unaffected women. Differences between unaffected women and women with hGDM were minimal. CONCLUSIONS—Women with diagnosed diabetes have less favorable inflammation profiles than unaffected women and greater ferritin levels than women with hGDM. After adjustment, women with hGDM who have not developed diagnosed diabetes have inflammation profiles similar to those of unaffected women.