Serum lipid and hsCRP levels in prediabetes--impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).

AIM: To evaluate cardiovascular risk in prediabetes (IFG and IGT) assessed by serum lipid and hsCRP levels.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS: 445 subjects with prediabetes (248 with IFG, 197 with IGT), 318 patients with newly-diagnosed diabetes (NDD) and a group of 477 age- and BMI-matched subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) were enrolled. Glucose tolerance was studied during oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 2006 WHO criteria were applied. Serum hsCRP and lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-c) and free fatty acids (FFAs) were measured.

RESULTS: Both IFG and IGT showed significantly atherogenic changes in serum lipid and hsCRP levels when compared to NGT. Subjects with IGT presented with significantly higher triglycerides (p=0.01) and FFAs (p<0.0001) and significantly lower HDL-c (p=0.04) as compared to IFG. IFG showed significantly higher levels of HDL-c (p<0.0001) and lower levels of triglycerides (p<0.0001), FFAs (p<0.001) and hsCRP (p=0.04) as compared to NDD, while IGT differed from NDD only in the lower hsCRP (p=0.04).

CONCLUSIONS: Both IFG and IGT are associated with increased cardiovascular risk as assessed by serum lipid and hsCRP levels. The risk is different in the two categories of prediabetes, IGT being characterized by a more atherogenic risk profile, similar to that in NDD.