The presence of hypertension during pregnancy determines the future risk of metabolic syndrome: An observational study

This study aimed to examine the prevalence and time interval of metabolic syndrome (MS) development among women with hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) compared to women with a normal delivery. Data (4,723,541 deliveries) from 2002 to 2012 from the National Health Insurance System Database in Korea were used to compare women diagnosed with HDP with those with a normal singleton pregnancy. Using the customized database, we conducted a longitudinal analysis of MS development. MS was observed in 20.3% of the patients in the normal delivery group and 37.1% in the HDP group (P < .0001). The time to MS development in the HDP group was significantly shorter than that in the normal delivery group (6.6 ± 3.4 vs 8.2 ± 3.4 years, P < .0001). The HDP group had a significantly increased risk [odd ratio (OR) 1.23; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.12–1.35] of developing MS, and elevated systolic blood pressure strongly contributed to the increased risk of developing MS (OR 1.644; 95% CI, 1.610–1.678). HDP increased the risk of MS development later in life, and MS development exhibited a shorter time period in women with HDP. Women with HDP should undergo intensive assessment for MS components.