title: Differences in Hemoglobin A1c Between Hispanics/Latinos and Non-Hispanic Whites: An Analysis of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos and the 2007-2012 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
abstract: To determine whether, after adjustment for glycemia and other selected covariates, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) differed among adults from six Hispanic/Latino heritage groups (Central American, Cuban, Dominican, Mexican, Puerto Rican, and South American) and between Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic white adults without self-reported diabetes.
  
  
  
  We performed a cross-sectional analysis of data from 13,083 individuals without self-reported diabetes from six Hispanic/Latino heritage groups, enrolled from 2008 to 2011 in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, and 2,242 non-Hispanic white adults enrolled during the 2007-2012 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We compared HbA1c levels among Hispanics/Latinos and between Hispanics/Latinos and non-Hispanic whites before and after adjustment for age, sex, fasting (FPG) and 2-h post-oral glucose tolerance test (2hPG) glucose, anthropometric measurements, and selected biochemical and hematologic variables and after stratification by diabetes status: unrecognized diabetes (FPG ≥7.1 mmol/L or 2hPG ≥11.2 mmol/L), prediabetes (FPG 5.6-7.0 mmol/L or 2hPG 7.8-11.1 mmol/L), and normal glucose tolerance (FPG <5.6 mmol/L and 2hPG <7.8 mmol/L).
  
  
  
  Adjusted mean HbA1c differed significantly across all seven groups (P < 0.001). Non-Hispanic whites had significantly lower HbA1c (P < 0.05) than each individual Hispanic/Latino heritage group. Upon stratification by diabetes status, statistically significant differences (P < 0.001) in adjusted mean HbA1c persisted across all seven groups.
  
  
  
  HbA1c differs among Hispanics/Latinos of diverse heritage groups and between non-Hispanic whites and Hispanics/Latinos after adjustment for glycemia and other covariates. The clinical significance of these differences is unknown.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD avilessantal@nhlbi.nih.gov.
authors.forename: M Larissa
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Avilés-Santa
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Sciences, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Lucy L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.affiliation: Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY.
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Arredondo
authors.affiliation: Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., Silver Spring, MD.
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Menke
authors.affiliation: Division of Blood Diseases and Resources, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Werner
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
authors.forename: Bharat
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thyagarajan
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Heiss
authors.affiliation: Collaborative Studies Coordinating Center, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC.
authors.forename: Yanping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, FL.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Schneiderman
authors.affiliation: Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL.
authors.forename: Aida L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Giachello
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Linda C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.affiliation: Institute for Behavioral and Community Health, Graduate School of Public Health, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
authors.forename: Catherine C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Cowie
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002489:Central America; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003462:Cuba; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D008800:Mexico; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D011236:Prediabetic State / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011647:Puerto Rico; D013020:South America; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin