Current type 2 diabetes, rather than previous gestational diabetes, is associated with liver disease in U.S. Women

To investigate the relative contribution of previous gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and current type 2 diabetes (T2D) on the development of liver fibrosis, the strongest predictor of end-stage liver disease.

This is a population-based cross-sectional study based on data from the 2017-2018 cycle of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We included women age ≥ 20 years that had delivered at least one live birth and had available data on vibration-controlled transient elastography (VCTE). Liver steatosis and fibrosis were assessed by the median value of controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) and liver stiffness measurement (LSM), respectively.

Among the 1699 women included in the study, 144 (10.1%, 95% CI 7.7-13.2) reported a previous diagnosis of GDM. Women with previous GDM were younger, had a higher BMI, a higher prevalence of T2D and were significantly older at the time they had the last live birth. Univariate analysis did not show a significant difference between women with and without a prior history of GDM in terms of both steatosis (44.8% vs 39.4%, p = 0.464) and fibrosis (7.5% vs 7.6%, p = 0.854). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that BMI, γ-glutamyltranspeptidase levels, T2D (OR 2.96, 95% CI 1.48-5.93, p < 0.01), HBV and HCV infection were associated with higher odds of significant fibrosis, while previous GDM showed a neutral effect.

Women with previous GDM that do not develop overt T2D might not experience a poor hepatic prognosis.