title: Fasting plasma glucose variability predicts 10-year survival of type 2 diabetic patients: the Verona Diabetes Study.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolic Diseases, University of Verona Medical School, Italy. malmetab@borgotrento.univr.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muggeo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zoppini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bonora
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Bonadonna
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moghetti
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verlato
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose