Elevation of soluble E-selectin levels following gestational diabetes is restricted to women with persistent abnormalities of glucose regulation.

OBJECTIVE

Increased levels of the soluble adhesion molecule sE-selectin have been reported in normoglycaemic women with previous gestational diabetes but not in other groups at increased risk of future type 2 diabetes. To explore the basis for these discrepant findings, we studied the relationship between sE-selectin and glucose regulation in a large group of women with previous gestational diabetes.

DESIGN

Comparison of sE-selectin levels between a study cohort ascertained on the basis of recent gestational diabetes and suitable control subjects.

PATIENTS

One hundred and forty women with recent gestational diabetes (104 European, 20 South Asian and 16 Afro-Caribbean) and 125 normoglycaemic control women (90 European, 19 South Asian and 16 Afro-Caribbean).

MEASUREMENTS

sE-selectin, fasting lipids, insulin and current glucose regulation status.

RESULTS

There was no overall difference in sE-selectin levels between women with a history of gestational diabetes and control women among the 3 ethnic groups. European post-GDM women with abnormal glucose regulation postpartum (n = 30) had higher sE-selectin than control women (67 (54-91) ng/ml vs. 57 (43-75) ng/ml, P = 0.049). There was no difference in sE-selectin between normoglycaemic European women with a history of gestational diabetes (n = 74) and control women, even though the former displayed metabolic abnormalities predictive of diabetes. In those European post-GDM women with normal glucose regulation postpartum, sE-selectin levels were negatively correlated with time since delivery (r = -0.25, P = 0.04), suggesting that the previously described elevation of sE-selectin following GDM pregnancies slowly resolves postpartum. There was no correlation between sE-selectin levels and features of insulin resistance.

CONCLUSIONS

In contrast to previous findings, this larger study does not support a role for sE-selectin as a marker, independent of prevailing glucose levels, of early metabolic abnormalities or future diabetes risk in women with previous gestational diabetes.