One-Hour Post-Load Plasma Glucose Levels are Associated with Early Arterial Stiffness in Subjects with Different Glucose Tolerance

Objective: The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between one-hour post-load plasma glucose levels and early arterial stiffness in subjects with different glucose tolerance. Methods: This case-control study included 57 subjects with normal glucose tolerance, 38 subjects with pre-diabetes, and 30 subjects with type 2 diabetes. All subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) with 75 g of oral anhydrous glucose at 8:00 AM. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was used as a surrogate marker of early arterial stiffness. Results: baPWV was significantly higher in the diabetes group than in the normal glucose tolerance group (diabetes group: 1501.8 +/- 270.4 cm/s, pre-diabetes group: 1428.6 +/- 173.1 cm/s vs normal glucose tolerance group: 1368.0 +/- 242.8 cm/s) (p < 0.05). baPWV was positively correlated with age (r = 0.512, p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP) (r = 0.526, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (r = 0.298, p = 0.001), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (r = 0.213, p = 0.017), 1-h plasma glucose levels from the OGTT (r = 0.407, p < 0.001) and 2-h plasma glucose levels from the OGTT (r = 0.202, p = 0.024). When baPWV was considered as the dependent variable in a multiple regression analysis, the 1-h plasma glucose level from the OGTT maintained an independent association with baPWV (beta = 23.129, 95% CI: 8.142-38.115, p = 0.003, R-2 = 0.036). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated the presence of early arterial stiffness in diabetes. Elevated 1-hour post-load plasma glucose level is closely related to the change of arterial elasticity in diabetes.