One-hour post-load hyperglycemia combined with HbA1c identifies individuals with higher risk of cardiovascular diseases: Cross-sectional data from the CATAMERI study

AIMS: A value of 1-hour post-load plasma glucose (PG) ≥155 mg/dL combined with the recently established HbA1c diagnostic thresholds for prediabetes increases the ability to predict diabetes and to detect subclinical cardiovascular organ damage. Herein, we evaluated whether a value of 1-hour PG ≥155 mg/dL may recognize non-diabetic individuals with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) within HbA1c-defined glycemic categories. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The prevalence of composite and individual CVD, including coronary artery disease (CAD) and cerebrovascular disease, was assessed in 1010 non-diabetic individuals. RESULTS: Within the group with HbA1c <5.7%, a higher proportion of subjects with 1-hour PG ≥ 155 mg/dL had composite CVD and individual CAD in comparison to those having 1-hour PG˂155 mg/dL. Similarly, within the group with HbA1c-defined prediabetes (5.7%-6.4%), the prevalence of composite CVD and individual CAD in subjects with 1-hour PG ≥155 mg/dL was higher than in the group with individuals having 1-hour PG < 155 mg/dL. In a logistic regression analysis adjusted for several CVD risk factors individuals with HbA1c <5.7% and 1-hour PG ≥ 155 mg/dL and those with HbA1c 5.7% to 6.4% and 1-hour PG ≥ 155 mg/dL had a 4.5- (95%CI: 1.02-20.44) and 6.2- (95%CI: 1.29-29.74) fold increased risk of composite CVD and 6.2- (95%CI: 1.05-36.32) and 8.0- (95%CI: 1.25-51.70) fold increased risk of having CAD, respectively, in comparison to individuals with HbA1c <5.7% and 1-hour PG < 155 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS: 1-hour post-load hyperglycemia may identify a subset of individuals within HbA1c-defined glycemic categories at higher risk of having CVD.