ABSTRACT
AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: The Pune Children's Study aimed to test whether glucose and insulin measurements in childhood predict cardiovascular risk factors in young adulthood. METHODS: We followed up 357 participants (75% follow-up) at 21 years of age who had undergone detailed measurements at 8 years of age (glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and other indices). Oral glucose tolerance, anthropometry, plasma lipids, BP, carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured at 21 years. RESULTS: Higher fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR at 8 years predicted higher glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, BP, lipids and IMT at 21 years. A 1 SD change in 8 year variables was associated with a 0.10-0.27 SD change at 21 years independently of obesity/adiposity at 8 years of age. A greater rise in glucose-insulin variables between 8 and 21 years was associated with higher cardiovascular risk factors, including PWV. Participants whose HOMA-IR measurement remained in the highest quartile (n = 31) had a more adverse cardiovascular risk profile compared with those whose HOMA-IR measurement remained in the lowest quartile (n = 28). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Prepubertal glucose-insulin metabolism is associated with adult cardiovascular risk and markers of atherosclerosis. Our results support interventions to improve glucose-insulin metabolism in childhood to reduce cardiovascular risk in later life.
Subject(s)
Blood Glucose/metabolism , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Insulin Resistance , Insulin/blood , Blood Pressure , Carotid Intima-Media Thickness , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Follow-Up Studies , Glucose Tolerance Test , Humans , India/epidemiology , Lipids/blood , Male , Obesity/epidemiology , Predictive Value of Tests , Pulse Wave Analysis , Risk Factors , Sex Characteristics , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the influence of glycemic and nonglycemic parameters on HbA(1c) concentrations in young adults, the majority of whom had normal glucose tolerance. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We compared the diagnosis of normal glucose tolerance, prediabetes, and diabetes between a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT; World Health Organization 2006 criteria) and HbA(1c) concentrations (American Diabetes Association [ADA] 2009 criteria) in 116 young adults (average age 21.6 years) from the Pune Children's Study. We also studied the contribution of glycemic and nonglycemic determinants to HbA(1c) concentrations. RESULTS: The OGTT showed that 7.8% of participants were prediabetic and 2.6% were diabetic. By ADA HbA(1c) criteria, 23.3% were prediabetic and 2.6% were diabetic. The negative predictive value of HbA(1c) was 93% and the positive predictive value was 20% (only 20% had prediabetes or diabetes according to the OGTT; this figure was 7% in anemic participants). Of participants, 34% were anemic, 37% were iron deficient (ferritin <15 ng/mL), 40% were vitamin B(12) deficient (<150 pmol/L), and 22% were folate deficient (<7 nmol/L). On multiple linear regression analysis, HbA(1c) was predicted by higher 2-h glucose (R(2) = 25.6%) and lower hemoglobin (R(2) = 7.7%). When hematological parameters were replaced by ferritin, vitamin B(12), and folate, HbA(1c) was predicted by higher glycemia (R(2) = 25.6%) and lower ferritin (R(2) = 4.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The use of HbA(1c) to diagnose prediabetes and diabetes in iron-deficient populations may lead to a spuriously exaggerated prevalence. Further investigation is required before using HbA(1c) as a screening tool in nutritionally compromised populations.