April - June 2009, Volume 5, Issue 2

Nita CA, Rusu A, Bala CG, Hancu N

Predictors of postprandial hyperglycemia in patients with type 2 diabetes

Acta Endo (Buc) 2009, 5 (2): 177-182
doi: 10.4183/aeb.2009.177

Objective. to investigate the factors associated with postprandial glucose excursions in\r\npatients with type 2 diabetes.\r\nResearch Design and Methods. A complete medical history and physical examination\r\nwere assessed in 118 consecutive patients with type 2 diabetes attending the Diabetes\r\nOutpatient Clinic, Cluj-Napoca. Blood samples were collected in fasting state, and HbA1c\r\nand lipid profile were assessed. A six points blood glucose profile measured by patients at\r\nhome was performed. To determine variables associated with higher postprandial glycemic\r\nlevels, factor analysis followed by linear regression model was performed.\r\nResults. The study group had a median age of 59.2 years, 43.4% were females. The\r\nmedian duration of diabetes was 5 years. By factor analysis we have extracted 4 factors that\r\nexplained 75.6% of the variance of postprandial glycemia: factor 1 with positive loadings of\r\ntotal cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, factor 2 with positive loadings of body mass index\r\nand waist circumference, factor 3 with positive loadings of diabetes duration and age, factor\r\n4 with positive loadings of triglycerides and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). After\r\nadjustment for the sex and treatment, only factor 2 and factor 4 remained significantly associated\r\nwith postprandial glycemic values (p=0.003 and p<0.001), indicating that the postprandial\r\nglycemia is best predicted by a multiple regression that included body mass index, waist\r\ncircumference, tryglicerides and HbA1c as independent variables (r=0.54, p<0.001).\r\nConclusion. The results of our study shows that low body mass index and waist\r\ncircumference, high triglycerides and HbA1c levels are independently associated with\r\npostprandial glucose excursions.

Keywords: postprandial glycemia, type 2 diabetes

Correspondence: Cristina Nita, MD, &#8220;Iuliu Hatieganu&#8221; University of Medicine and Pharmacy\r\nClinical Center of Diabetes, Nutrition, Metabolic Diseases, 2-4 Clinicilor St, 400006, Cluj-Napoca,\r\nRomania, Phone: +40264594455; Fax: +40264594455, Email: christina_nita@yahoo.com