title: Glycaemia-independent ethnic differences in HbA(1c) in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the ethnic differences in HbA(1c) between Whites and South Asians with impaired glucose tolerance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We audited 75g oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) performed in Clinical Chemistry, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton over 1 year. HbA(1c) and glycaemia were compared between Whites and South Asians with impaired glucose intolerance (IGT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 46 South Asians (22 female) and 88 Whites (41 female). South Asian subjects were younger (59.2 +/- 14.31 vs. 67.6 +/- 12.63 yrs; P < 0.001) and weighed less (78.1 +/- 17.2 vs. 87.47 +/- 19.1 kgs; P < 0.001) than White subjects. HbA(1c) levels were higher (6.5 +/- 0.7 vs. 6.1 +/- 0.6%; P < 0.001) in South Asians compared to Whites. Fasting glucose (5.71 +/- 0.5 vs. 5.93 +/- 0.7; P = 0.039) was lower in South Asians but 2hour glucose (10.5 +/- 1.0 vs. 10.40 +/- 0.9; P = 0.404) was similar in both ethnic groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  South Asians have higher HbA(1c) levels than Whites despite lower fasting glucose value on OGTT, indicating ethnic differences in HbA(1c) are due to glycaemia-independent factors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Chemistry, New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV10 0QP, UK. t.likhari@btinternet.com
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Likhari
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gama
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D044466:Asian People / Q000208:ethnology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D004739:England; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000097:blood*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin