Issue 120 Item 5 Outcomes Linked to Fasting Glucose At Diagnosis of Type 2

Patients with lower initial FPG concentrations who may be earlier in the course of type 2 diabetes have fewer adverse clinical outcomes A group of researchers led by Dr Stephen Colagiuri studied the association between early detection of type 2 diabetes and development of diabetic complications. Overall, 5088 of the 5102 patients enrolled in the UKPDS were divided into 3 categories: low, intermediate or high fasting plasma glucose (FPG) at the time of diagnosis.

The researchers showed that fewer patients with low FPG concentrations had retinopathy, abnormal biothesiometer measurement, or reports of erectile dysfunction. In all 3 groups of patients, the rate of increase in the concentrations of FPG and HbA1c were the same during the study. The risk for each predefined clinical outcome, except for stroke, was reduced in patients with low FPG concentrations. Patients with intermediate FPG concentrations had a significantly reduced risk for each clinical outcome except for stroke and myocardial infarction. The authors suggest that patients with lower initial FPG concentrations who may be earlier in the course of type 2 diabetes have fewer adverse clinical outcomes than those with higher FPG concentrations, despite a similar glycemic progression of these patients.
Diabetes Care 2002;25:1410-17