title: Occurrence of diabetes mellitus after gestational diabetes mellitus in Trinidad.
abstract: We undertook this study to determine the incidence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). It is a follow-up study of a consecutive sample of women with GDM in a tertiary care center in Trinidad, West Indies. The cohort was a consecutive sample of 157 women with GDM who delivered in the hospital between June 1981 and December 1984. Of these, a volunteer sample of 60 women (38%) consented to participate 3.5-6.5 yr later. The two groups were remarkably similar in ethnic composition, mean age at index delivery, marital status, and family history of DM. Interviews revealed that 26 women (43%) had already developed DM for which they were receiving treatment. The remaining 34 women (57%) were given a 2-h 75-g oral glucose tolerance test, and fasting and half-hourly venous blood samples were obtained and analyzed for plasma glucose. Based on accepted diagnostic criteria, 11 (32%) of 34 had DM, 10 (29%) had IGT, and 13 (38%) had normal glucose tolerance. A total of 37 (62%) of 60 women had developed DM, and another 10 (17%) had IGT in the intervening 3.5-6.5 yr. The results support findings that GDM is associated with an increased risk of mothers developing DM in later life.
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, University of the West Indies, Mount Hope Women's Hospital, Trinidad.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: S D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Alexis
mesh_terms: D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011254:Pregnancy in Diabetics / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014300:Trinidad and Tobago