Identification of glucose and insulin patterns during A 5-H glucose tolerance test and association with cardiometabolic risk factors.

BACKGROUND

Insulin resistance is key in the pathogenesis of the metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify glucose and insulin patterns after a 5-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) in individuals without diabetes and to explore cardiometabolic risk factors, beta-cell function, and insulin sensitivity in each pattern.

METHODS

We analyzed the 5-h OGTT in a tertiary healthcare center. We identified classes using latent class trajectory analysis and evaluated their association with cardiometabolic risk factors, beta-cell function, and insulin sensitivity surrogates by multinomial logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

We included 1088 5-h OGTT performed between 2013 and 2020 and identified four classes. Class one was associated with normal insulin sensitivity and secretion. Class two showed hyperglycemia, dysinsulinism, and a high-risk cardiometabolic profile (obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and low high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol). Class three included older individuals, a higher proportion of males, and a greater prevalence of hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and postprandial hypoglycemia. Finally, class four showed hyperglycemia, dysinsulinism, and hyperinsulinemia; this class had the worst cardiometabolic profile (a high proportion of males, greater age, hypertension, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL cholesterol, p < 0.001 vs. other classes).

CONCLUSIONS

The latent class analysis approach allows the identification of groups with an adverse cardiometabolic risk factor, and who might benefit from frequent follow-ups and timely multidisciplinary interventions.