Achieving prediabetes reversal in China: a nationwide longitudinal study on the role of blood glucose and lipid management in middle-aged and elderly adults.

BACKGROUND

Prediabetes, impacting a third of the adult Chinese population, is linked to a variety of detrimental health outcomes. However, scant research has delved into the factors that affect a regression from prediabetes to normal glucose regulation (NGR) in middle-aged and elderly Chinese adults.

METHODS

We conducted a longitudinal analysis of 2,655 adults, aged 45 years and above, drawing data from wave 1 and wave 3 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). We employed a stepwise logistic regression model to identify factors associated with the regression to NGR. Restricted Cubic Spline (RCS) analysis was used to evaluate the dose-response relationships between baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and the likelihood of regression to NGR. Attribution fraction (AF) analysis was conducted to measure the impact of modifiable factors on the regression of prediabetes. We further examined how changes in these factors were associated with regression to NGR.

RESULTS

During the 4-year follow-up, 570 of 2,655 prediabetes participants regressed to NGR. The stepwise logistic regression model identified older age, female sex, abdominal obesity (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.57-0.86), elevated LDL-C (OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.48-0.97), higher FPG (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.52-0.90), and higher HbA1c (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.18-0.30) as factors associated with regression to NGR. AF analysis showed that a lower initial HbA1c was the most influential factor for regression to NGR. Additionally, evaluated blood lipid profiles reduced the odds of regression to NGR.

CONCLUSION

This study underscores the influence of age, gender, abdominal obesity, LDL-C levels, FPG, HbA1c, and blood lipid profiles on the likelihood of regressing from prediabetes to NGR. It suggests that adopting a healthy lifestyle and preemptively mitigating these risks may be more beneficial than addressing them after they have been identified in clinical settings.