Glycohaemoglobin as a determinant of increased fibrinogen concentrations and low-grade inflammation in apparently healthy nondiabetic individuals.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the potential role of glycohaemoglobin as a possible determinant of increased fibrinogen concentrations and low-grade inflammation in a group of apparently healthy, nondiabetic individuals not expressing clinically overt atherothrombosis.


METHODS
We performed a cross-sectional analysis of the concentrations of glycohaemoglobin alongside the concentrations of quantitative fibrinogen and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). In all, 1511 males and 757 apparently healthy females, without diabetes mellitus or clinically evident atherothrombotic disease, were enrolled in the study during their routine annual health check-up.


RESULTS
Glycohaemoglobin entered the linear regression models as a significant determinant of quantitative fibrinogen in both genders and of hs-CRP in men. We found this to be true even following the inclusion of multiple variables known to influence the intensity of low-grade inflammation, such as age, gender, waist circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, medications, hormone therapy, glucose levels (normal or impaired fasting glucose), smoking habits, family history of coronary artery disease, lipid profile as well as alcohol consumption and sports intensity. We found glycohaemoglobin to be a significant determinant of fibrinogen concentrations in apparently healthy nondiabetic individuals not yet presenting with evident atherothrombosis.


CONCLUSIONS
This observation supports the idea that glycohaemoglobin might have an effect on fibrinogen concentrations in both genders and on hs-CRP in men. Moreover, our results suggest that glycohaemoglobin should be perceived as a continuous variable without a 'normal' cut-off point, as it may exhibit a detrimental role even when present in relatively low levels.
Rogowski
Ori
O
Department of Medicine 'D', Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Shapira
Itzhak
I
Peretz
Hava
H
Berliner
Shlomo
S
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055105:Waist Circumference / Q000502:physiology