Is Impaired Fasting Glucose Associated with Increased Risk of Coronary Aterosclerosis?

Impaired fasting glucose identifies individuals at high risk of progression to diabetes but the role of IFG as a coronary artery disease risk factor, independent of its progression to diabetes and its association with other coronary artery disease risk factors ,is unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted to evaluate the hypothesis that impaired fasting glucose increased the likelihood of atherosclerotic plaque formation. Blood chemistry data as well as traditional coronary artery disease risk factors from 812 patients referred for coronary angiography to heart centers in ShahidChamran and Sina hospital, Isfahan, Iran were recorded. The population were stratified into three groups according to American Diabetes Association criteria: normal fasting glucose (n=608), impaired fasting glucose(n=92) and diabetes mellitus(n=112).We use extent, Vessel and stenosis scores to indicate the coronary artery involvement. KrusKal-Wallis test showed that the means of extent, Vessel and stenosis scores are not significantly different between three groups(P> 0.05). Multivariate linear regression analysis, using extent score of coronary artery disease as dependent variable and traditional risk factors and impaired fasting glucose as independent variables did not show any significant difference either. Our data suggested that impaired fasting glucose is not associated with increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis. © 2008 Tehran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved. Acta Medica Iranica, 46(1): 38-42; 2008