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Glycemic markers racially different in adults without diabetes
Racial differences exist in glycemic markers for black and white adults without diabetes, but not in those with diabetes, according to study findings published in BMJ Open Diabetes Research & Care.
“The findings were similar after further adjustment for fasting and 2-hour glucose, suggesting that postprandial hyperglycemia does not fully explain the observed differences in glycemic markers,” the researchers wrote.
April P. Carson, PhD, MSPH, an associate professor in the department of epidemiology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues evaluated data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study on 2,692 adults (5.5% with diagnosed diabetes; 56% white) to determine whether average levels of glycemic markers differ by race.
Baseline was 1985-1986, and follow-up was conducted until 2005-2006.
No racial differences existed among participants with diabetes. Among participants without diabetes, compared with whites, blacks had higher HbA1c (beta = 0.19 percentage points), glycated albumin (beta = 0.82 percentage points), fructosamine (beta = 8.68 µmol/L) and 2-hour glucose (beta = 3.5 mg/dL), but there was no statistically significant difference for 1,5-anhydroglucitol.
“Racial differences in glycemic markers were evident for individuals without diagnosed diabetes but not for those with diagnosed diabetes in this community-based cohort of middle-aged adults,” the researchers wrote. “These findings were consistent and of similar magnitude across glycemic markers for those without diagnosed diabetes. The clinical implications, if any, of the observed racial differences in glycemic marker levels among individuals without diagnosed diabetes are not clear. Future studies should investigate the association of standard and emerging glycemic markers with microvascular and macrovascular outcomes to determine which glycemic markers best identify high-risk individuals and whether the predictive ability of these markers differ by race.” – by Amber Cox
Disclosure: Carson reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the full study for a list of the other researchers’ financial disclosures.