Clinical features in persons with a family history of diabetes compared to controls (The Second Generation Fredericia Study).

OBJECTIVE

To compare clinical and biochemical features in non-diabetic persons with a family history of non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) to non-diabetic persons without a family history of diabetes.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study.

SETTING

Population-based survey in Fredericia, Denmark.

SUBJECTS

Seven hundred and forty subjects, the second generation of an earlier defined cohort was examined. The median age was 48 (range 26-65) years. Of the 740 subjects 696 were non-diabetic.

INTERVENTIONS

The subjects had a clinical examination.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Known risk factors for development of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

RESULTS

More offspring of diabetic persons had NIDDM (chi 2 = 6.36, P < 0.05). Non-diabetic males with a family history of diabetes had a higher BMI fasting blood glucose, and triglycerides compared to males without a family history of diabetes. Non-diabetic females with a family history of diabetes had a higher BMI, fasting blood glucose. HbA1C, diastolic blood pressure, and lower HDL-cholesterol than female offspring of non-diabetics. In a multiple regression model we found that non-diabetic off-spring of diabetic persons had higher fasting blood glucose and HbA1C compared to offspring of non-diabetic persons when adjusted for the independent variables age, BMI, WHR, and sex.

CONCLUSION

Our results may indicate that the only inherited factors from NIDDM patients are plasma blood glucose. HbA1C and increased BMI which may be an indication for later diabetes, whereas other cardiovascular risk factors may be inherited independently of diabetes but associated with BMI.