Diabetes Research Advances: Ethnicity-Specific Differences, Impaired Fasting Glucose, and Metabolic Syndrome

Strategic Insights -

New research from the United States and the United Kingdom has made significant contributions to our understanding of diabetes and its consequences on cardiovascular health. A study conducted in the US has found that diabetic cardiomyopathy is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, with ethnicity-specific differences in left ventricular mass, end-diastolic volume, and stroke volume. In a separate study from Taiwan, researchers have discovered that impaired fasting glucose is an independent risk factor for mortality risks in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. Meanwhile, a study from England has found that the presence of the metabolic syndrome is a significant predictor of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Key Takeaways:

  • A study conducted by A.G. Bertoni and colleagues in the US found that diabetic cardiomyopathy is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, with ethnicity-specific differences in left ventricular mass, end-diastolic volume, and stroke volume.
  • The study, which examined 4,991 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, found that increased left ventricular mass was observed in white, black, and Hispanic participants with diabetes but not among Chinese participants.
  • Researchers in Taiwan published a study in Diabetes Care that found impaired fasting glucose is an independent risk factor for mortality risks in cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.
  • The study, conducted by C.P. Wen and colleagues, followed up on 36,386 subjects aged 40-69 for an average of 11 years and found that fasting blood glucose greater than or equal to 110 mg/dL was associated with increased mortality risks for all causes, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.
  • A study from England found that the presence of the metabolic syndrome is a significant predictor of coronary heart disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  • The study, conducted by S.G. Wannamethee and colleagues, followed up on 5128 middle-aged men with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes for 20 years and found that men with metabolic syndrome at baseline had a significantly higher relative risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
  • The study found that the probability of developing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes over 20 years increased from 11.9% in those with no abnormalities to 31.2% in those with 3 abnormalities and 40.8% in those with 4 or 5 abnormalities.

Statistics:

  • 4,991 participants in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis were examined in the study by A.G. Bertoni and colleagues.
  • The study by C.P. Wen and colleagues followed up on 36,386 subjects aged 40-69 for an average of 11 years.
  • The study by S.G. Wannamethee and colleagues followed up on 5128 middle-aged men with no history of cardiovascular disease or diabetes for 20 years.
  • Increased left ventricular mass was observed in 25.5% of white, 25.6% of black, and 24.1% of Hispanic participants with diabetes, but not among Chinese participants.
  • Fasting blood glucose greater than or equal to 110 mg/dL was associated with increased mortality risks for all causes, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes.
  • The probability of developing cardiovascular disease or type 2 diabetes over 20 years increased from 11.9% in those with no abnormalities to 31.2% in those with 3 abnormalities and 40.8% in those with 4 or 5 abnormalities.

Sources:

  • Bertoni, A.G., et al. (2006). Diabetic cardiomyopathy and subclinical cardiovascular disease: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). Diabetes Care, 29(3), 588-594.
  • Wen, C.P., et al. (2005). Increased mortality risks of prediabetes (Impaired fasting glucose) in Taiwan. Diabetes Care, 28(11), 2756-2761.
  • Wannamethee, S.G., et al. (2005). Metabolic syndrome vs. Framingham Risk Score for prediction of coronary heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Arch Intern Med, 165(22), 2644-2650.