Absence of capillary microangiopathy in oral contraceptive users with glucose intolerance

The possible vascular hazard associated with carbohydrate intolerance produced by long-term use of oral contraceptives was investigated by examining the capillary basement membrane thickness in quadriceps muscle biopsies, a highly sensitive and reliable indicator of diabetic microangiopathy. The average basement thickness of 18 long-term (4-9 years) contraceptive users with diminished carbohydrate tolerance was 1644 A, compared to normal pregnant women (1711 A) prediabetic pregnant women (1854 A), and overt diabetic women (2593 A). Contraceptive steroid-induced carbohydrate intolerance appears to carry little, if any, increased risk for the development of diabetic vascular disease, even as assessed by the sensitive electron microscopic technique.