title: Prepregnancy SHBG concentrations and risk for subsequently developing gestational diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lower levels of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) have been associated with increased risk of diabetes among postmenopausal women; however, it is unclear whether they are associated with glucose intolerance in younger women. We examined whether SHBG concentrations, measured before pregnancy, are associated with risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a nested case-control study among women who participated in the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Multiphasic Health Check-up examination (1984-1996) and had a subsequent pregnancy (1984-2009). Eligible women were free of recognized diabetes. Case patients were 256 women in whom GDM developed. Two control subjects were selected for each case patient and were matched for year of blood draw, age at examination, age at pregnancy, and number of intervening pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with the highest quartile of SHBG concentrations, the odds of GDM increased with decreasing quartile (odds ratio 1.06 [95% CI 0.44-2.52]; 2.33 [1.07-5.09]; 4.06 [1.90-8.65]; P for trend < 0.001), after adjusting for family history of diabetes, prepregnancy BMI, race/ethnicity, alcohol use, prepregnancy weight changes, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance. Having SHBG levels below the median (<64.5 nmol/L) and a BMI ≥25.0 kg/m(2) was associated with fivefold increased odds of GDM compared with normal-weight women with SHBG levels at or above the median (5.34 [3.00-9.49]).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low prepregnancy SHBG concentrations were associated with increased risk of GDM and might be useful in identifying women at risk for GDM for early prevention strategies.
authors.affiliation: Corresponding author: Monique M. Hedderson, monique.m.hedderson@kp.org.
authors.forename: Monique M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hedderson
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Jeanne A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Darbinian
authors.forename: Charles P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Quesenberry
authors.forename: Sneha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sridhar
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Erica P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Gunderson
authors.forename: Assiamira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D002140:California; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis*; D016640:Diabetes, Gestational / Q000175:diagnosis*; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D012307:Risk Factors; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D012738:Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin