Comparison of the impaired fasting blood glucose in young healthy individuals with diabetic and non-diabetic first degree relatives.

OBJECTIVE To compare the fasting blood glucose (FBG) level in the healthy young individuals with diabetic first degree relatives considered as high risk and non-diabetic first degree relative considered as low risk. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional, comparative study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY Department of Medicine, Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Hospital, Hyderabad/Jamshoro, from January to November 2008. METHODOLOGY Individuals aged between 20-40 years were selected and divided into two groups. Group A was considered as high risk included non-diabetic young offspring's of type-2 diabetic parents. Group B was considered as low risk nondiabetic offsprings of non-diabetic family (control group), of same age and gender. Fasting blood glucose levels were measured in each individual. Exclusion criteria were known diabetes and pregnancy. Mean glucose levels were compared using t-test. Proportions of impaired glucose level versus positive family history were compared using chi-square test. Significance was considered at p<0.05. RESULTS There were a total of 500 subjects including 250 in each group with equal gender distribution in each group. The mean age was 27.46+/-5.71 years. Mean FBG was 87.4+/-13.82 mg/dl in group A and 77.7+/-15.18 mg/dl in group B (p=0.001). Twenty five (10%) in group A and five (2%) in group B individuals showed impaired fasting blood glucose (p=0.001). CONCLUSION Impairment of fasting blood glucose was with family history of type-2 Diabetes mellitus in comparison to those without type-2 Diabetes mellitus.