Fasting plasma glucose variability predicts 10-year survival of type 2 diabetic patients: the Verona Diabetes Study.
OBJECTIVE
In the present study, we evaluated whether the coefficient of variation (CV) of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) over a 3-year period was a significant predictor of mortality in type 2 diabetic patients aged 56-74 years.


METHODS
All type 2 diabetic patients (n = 1,409) aged 56-74 years attending the Verona Diabetes Clinic and having at least two FPG determinations in each of the years 1984-1986 were followed for 10 years (1987-1996) to assess total and cause-specific mortality Patients were grouped into tertiles of mean and CV of FPG during 1984-1986. These parameters as well as sex, age, diabetes duration, insulin treatment, smoking, hypertension, and hypercholesterolemia were included in multivariate survival analyses.


RESULTS
During the follow-up, 468 patients died. The CV of FPG was an independent predictor of total, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality. Mean FPG was a predictor of total mortality only when the CV of FPG was not included in the analyses.


CONCLUSIONS
Long-term variability of fasting glucose is an independent predictor of mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. The CV of FPG might be considered a useful additional parameter in the management of these patients.
Muggeo
M
M
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Verona Medical School, Italy. malmetab@borgotrento.univr.it
Zoppini
G
G
Bonora
E
E
Brun
E
E
Bonadonna
R C
RC
Moghetti
P
P
Verlato
G
G
D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011336:Probability; D012907:Smoking; D015996:Survival Rate; D013997:Time Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose