Increased Arterial Stiffness in Subjects with Pre-diabetes among Middle Aged Population in Beijing, China

Objective To investigate the relationship between arterial stiffness and pre-diabetes when assessed by the new glycosylated hemoglobin Ale （HbAlc） 5.7%-6.4% criterion or by impaired fasting glucose in middle aged Chinese. Methods 1122 adults aged 55 years or younger in the health examination centers for physical check-ups were enrolled in the two large-sized Tertiary Comprehensive Hospitals in Beijing from June 2011 to June 2012 after excluding those who previously had been diagnosed or treated as diabetes or cardiovascular disease. Subjects with a diagnosis of pre-diabetes according to impaired fasting glucose （IFG） （fasting plasma glucose （FPG） levels at 5.6-6.9 mmol/L）, HbA~c levels at 5.7%-6.4%, or both, were classified into four groups for observation： （1） Normoglycaemia （HbA~c〈5.7% and FPG 〈5.6 mmol/L）; （2） IFG alone （FPG levels at 5.6-6.9 mmol/L and HbA1c〈5.7% ）; （3） HbAI~ 5.7%-6.4% alone （HbA~c levels at 5.7%-6.4% and FPG 〈5.6 mmol/L）; and （4） both HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% and IFG （l-lbA1~ levels at 5.7%-6.4% and FPG levels at 5.6-6.9 mmol/L）. All subjects were measured for weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, lipid profile and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity （baPWV）. Results The mean values of baPWV were 1282±8, 1311±10, 1398±30, and 1418_±27 cm/s （Mean_±SE） in Normoglycaemia, HbA~ 5.7%-6.4% alone, IFG alone and the both HbAlc 5.7%-6.4% and IFG groups, respectively. After adjusting for age, gender, blood pressure, BMI and triglyceride, baPWV was significantly higher in subjects with both HbAlc5.7%-6.4% and iFG compared among the subjects with Normoglycaemia （1350±14 vs. 1301±6 cm/s, P=0.002） and HbA1c 5.7%-6.4% alone （1350±14 vs. 1309±8 cm/s, P=0.013）.Conclusion Subjects with pre-diabetes exhibited a greater arterial stiffness.