Impaired fasting glucose is associated with increased arterial stiffness in elderly people without diabetes mellitus: the Rotterdam Study.
OBJECTIVE
To study the association between impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and arterial stiffness in older adults.


METHODS
Cross-sectional population-based study.


METHODS
The Rotterdam Study, a Dutch population-based cohort study.


METHODS
Two thousand nine hundred eighty-seven subjects aged 60 and older.


METHODS
Arterial stiffness assessed by measuring common carotid arterial distensibility and glucose status classified into three categories: normal fasting glucose (NFG) (fasting glucose <6.1 mmol/L), IFG (fasting glucose 6.1-6.9 mmol/L), and diabetes mellitus (DM).


RESULTS
In the total cohort, common carotid distensibility decreased with increasing impairment of glucose metabolism. Subjects younger than 75 with IFG were comparable with subjects with NFG with respect to arterial stiffness. Subjects aged 75 and older with IFG had stiffer arteries than subjects with NFG, reaching the same arterial stiffness as subjects with DM. For subjects younger than 75, mean difference in distensibility coefficient between subjects with NFG and with IFG was 0.1 (95% confidence interval (CI)=-0.04-0.05, P=.88) and between subjects with NFG and with DM was 1.2 (95% CI=0.7-1.7, P<.001). For subjects aged 75 and older, the mean difference between these groups was 0.7 (95% CI=0.2-1.2, P=.007) and 0.8 (0.3-1.4; P=.002), respectively. In the total cohort, fasting glucose was strongly associated with carotid distensibility (beta-coefficient=-0.29, P<.001).


CONCLUSIONS
IFG is related to arterial stiffness in elderly subjects. An advanced stage of arterial stiffness, comparable with that of subjects with DM, is only reached at the age of 75.
van Popele
Nicole M
NM
Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Elizabeth Hak
A
A
Mattace-Raso
Francesco U S
FU
Bots
Michiel L
ML
van der Kuip
Deirdre A M
DA
Reneman
Robert S
RS
Hoeks
Arnold P G
AP
Hofman
Albert
A
Grobbee
Diederick E
DE
Witteman
Jacqueline C M
JC
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*
D001786:Blood Glucose