Evaluation of features of syndrome X in offspring of Caribbean patients with Type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the features of metabolic syndrome X are more common in offspring of patients with Type 2 diabetes than in control subjects without immediate family history of diabetes.


METHODS
Thirty-four young offspring of patients with Type 2 diabetes and 27 healthy control subjects underwent a standard oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT; 75 g glucose in 300 ml water). Anthropometric indices, blood pressure, plasma glucose, serum lipids and insulin levels were measured. Homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) was used to assess basal insulin resistance (IR) and sensitivity (%S).


RESULTS
The offspring had significantly higher mean+/-SD BMI (p<0.01) and basal serum triglyceride (p<0.05), insulin (p<0.05), insulin/glucose ratio (p<0.01), and lower %S (p<0.001) than the control subjects, in spite of similar fasting plasma glucose concentrations. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that these differences were independent of BMI. Although, the two groups of subjects had similar serum HDL-Cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and blood pressure levels, %S was significantly related to diastolic BP (p<0.01) and serum triglyceride levels (p<0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
In comparison with the healthy control subjects, the insulin resistant offspring have higher levels of the identified syndrome X features independent of obesity. These features were quantitatively lower than the values reported in offspring of white Caucasian and African-American patients.
Ezenwaka
C E
CE
Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, Trinidad. ezenwaka@tstt.net.tt
Davis
G
G
Offiah
N V
NV
D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017691:Caribbean Region; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000235:genetics; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000235:genetics; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics*; D016014:Linear Models; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D013577:Syndrome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides