Differences in tissue-specific insulin resistance between South Asian and Nordic women with prediabetes after gestational diabetes
Authors' conclusion
South Asian and Nordic women with pGDM exhibited differences in insulin resistance profiles, with South Asians showing greater adipose tissue insulin resistance and inflammation.
Study context
- Population
- South Asian and Nordic women with previous GDM (previous gestational diabetes mellitus (pGDM)) and prediabetes, plus ethnicity-specific control women
- Participants
- 19 / 16 / 16
- Exposure
- South Asian vs Nordic women with pGDM and prediabetes, and ethnicity-specific controls
- South Asian pGDMn = 19
- Nordic pGDMn = 16
- Controln = 16reference
- Outcome
- Tissue-specific insulin sensitivity in muscle, liver and adipose tissue
Methodological detailstwo-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp with glucose tracer, adipose tissue mRNA sequencing
- Two-step hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp with glucose tracer
- Adipose tissue mRNA sequencing
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Tissue-specific insulin resistance
- Both South Asian and Nordic women with pGDM had reduced total glucose disposal (mainly muscle insulin resistance) and hyperinsulinaemia vs controls
- Endogenous glucose production (mainly hepatic insulin resistance) elevated in Nordics with pGDM
- South Asians with pGDM showed pronounced adipose tissue insulin resistance (reduced suppression of glycerol during clamp)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Adipose tissue inflammation and mitochondrial mRNA
- Increased adipose tissue inflammation in South Asian vs Nordic women with pGDM
- Differential response to hyperinsulinaemia in South Asians vs Nordics related to mitochondrial mRNA, such as TK2
Correlations between adiposity markers and insulin sensitivity
- Correlations differed by ethnicity
Original publication
Differences in tissue-specific insulin resistance between South Asian and Nordic women with prediabetes after gestational diabetes. Diabetologia. Published 24 September 2025. doi:10.
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