Independent effect of ethnicity on glycemia in South Asians and white Europeans.
OBJECTIVE
HbA(1c) levels are higher in most ethnic groups compared with white Europeans (WEs) independent of glycemic control. This comparison has not been performed between South Asians (SAs) and WEs. We analyzed the independent effect of ethnicity on HbA(1c) and fasting and 2-h plasma glucose (FPG and 2 hrPG, respectively) between these groups.


METHODS
Analysis of the ADDITION-Leicester study, in which 4,688 WEs and 1,352 SAs underwent oral glucose tolerance testing, HbA(1c), and other risk factor measurements.


RESULTS
Significant associations with HbA(1c) included ethnicity, FPG, 2 hrPG, and homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (P < 0.001); age and sex (P < 0.01); and fasting insulin and potassium (P < 0.05). After adjusting for these and other risk factors, SAs demonstrated higher HbA(1c) (6.22 and 6.02%, mean difference 0.20%, 0.10-0.30, P < 0.001), FPG (5.15 and 5.30 mmol/L, mean difference 0.15 mmol/L, 0.09-0.21, P < 0.001), and 2 hrPG (5.82 and 6.57 mmol/L, mean difference 0.75 mmol/L, 0.59-0.92, P < 0.001) compared with WEs, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
HbA(1c), FPG, and 2 hrPG levels were higher in SAs independent of factors affecting glycemic control.
Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leicester, Leicester, UK. samiul.mostafa@uhl-tr.nhs.uk
Samiul A
SA
Mostafa
Melanie J
MJ
Davies
David R
DR
Webb
Balasubramanian Thiagarajan
BT
Srinivasan
Laura J
LJ
Gray
Kamlesh
K
Khunti
D044466:Asian People; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044465:White People
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin