[Autoimmunological basis of gestational diabetes mellitus]

This paper is a review of recent reports on autoimmune aspects of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). In a subgroup of GDM patients distinct phenotypic and genotypic features could be distinguished. Islet autoantibodies with variable frequency are present in samples of sera taken from women with GDM. Beta-cell destruction may follow different time course patterns. For this reasons GDM patients may develop variable forms of autoimmune DM. We believe that women who experienced autoimmune GDM are at risk of type l DM and simultaneously, they are candidates for possible immunomodulatory preventive therapy in the future.