Hypertriglyceridemia is associated with development of metabolic glucose disorders, irrespective of glucose and insulin levels: A 15-year follow-up study

• Serum triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are associated with new onset of IFG.
• Serum triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are associated with new onset of IGT.
• Serum triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are associated with new onset of IFG–IGT.
• Serum triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are associated with new onset of diabetes.
• These associations are independent of glucose and insulin levels, and HOMA-IR index.

BackgroundBecause the role of 2-h postload glucose and insulin levels as confounders in the relationship between hypertriglyceridemia and development of metabolic glucose disorders (MGD) has not been elucidated, the aim of this study was to determine whether triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are a risk factor of developing MGD in otherwise healthy men and women.MethodsA total of 341 healthy men and non-pregnant women, 30 to 50 years of age, were enrolled in a 15-year follow-up study and allocated into the exposed (triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/L) and non-exposed (triglycerides < 1.7 mmol/L) groups. Follow-up visits were scheduled every 3 years to complete 5 visits (mean 3.8 visits). At final follow-up, about 15 years later (mean 13.6 years), contact was re-established in 236 individuals to complete 3540 person-years of follow-up. At baseline, all subjects in both groups were required to be free of impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), IFG + IGT, and type 2 diabetes.ResultsThe Poisson regression models, adjusted by age, sex, family history of diabetes, waist circumference, body mass index, total body fat, blood pressure, fasting and postload glucose, fasting and postload insulin, and HOMA-IR index, showed a significant association between triglycerides ≥ 1.7 mmol/L and IFG (relative risk – RR – 1.40; 95% CI 1.2–2.2), IGT (RR 1.60; 95% CI 1.3–2.2), IFG + IGT (RR 1.80; 95% CI 1.5–2.7), and type 2 diabetes (RR 3.0; 95% CI 2.5–3.8).ConclusionsSerum triglyceride levels ≥ 1.7 mmol/L are an independent risk factor of developing IFG, IGT, IFG + IGT, and type 2 diabetes in young and middle-aged, men and women.