Epidemiological Approach to Glucose Intolerance

• Published in: Nihon Rōnen Igakkai zasshi Vol. 16; no. 4; pp. 362 - 367
• Main Authors: Hatano, Shuichi, Shibata, Hiroshi, Matsuzaki, Toshihisa, Haga, Hiroshi, Ueda, Atsuko, Moriyama, Yoshinori, Suyama, Yasuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan The Japan Geriatrics Society 01.07.1979
• Subjects: Adult; Aging; Blood Glucose - analysis; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Female; Glucose Tolerance Test; Humans; Insulin - blood; Insulin - immunology; Japan; Male; Japan
• ISSN: 0300-9173
• DOI: 10.3143/geriatrics.16.362

Blood glucose content after one hour oral 50gr glucose tolerance was measured in 2, 543 residents aged 35 and over of Toda City (population 75, 000), an urban area of Japan, between March and December, 1976. Several other cardiovascular examinations were also carried out simultaneously. Further oral 50gr glucose tolerance test with serum immunoreactive insuline measurement was undertaken in the 413 subjects whose blood glucose value was 160mg/dl and over, or who showed positive urine glucose at the one hour glucose tolerance. Results obtained in the present study were as follows: 1) Mean values of blood glucose at the one hour glucose tolerance were elevated according to age increase in both sexes. Females showed higher blood glucose levels than males from age 50 and over. 2) Both males and females revealed significant positive partial correlation of blood glucose levels with age, systolic blood pressure and serum triglyceride. Neither diastolic blood pressure nor uric acid value was related to blood glucose levels. Relative body weight (Quetelet index) and total serum cholesterol were found to be significantly associated with blood glucose levels only in females. 3) Variation in blood glucose levels did not effect the frequency of calcifications in the aortic knob on 100mm chest X-ray film, Q and T changes in electrocardiogram, and notable vascular changes with bleeding in fundus oculi. 4) The frequency of chemical diabetes mellitus (according to the criteria of Japanese Expert Committee) among the 2, 543 subjects was 4.3per cent in males and 5.4per cent in females. Immunoreactive insuiine/Blood sugar (30 minutes) was 0.95±0.98 in normal glucose tolerance pattern, 0.53±0.53 in border line pattern and 0.25±0.26 in diabetes mellitus pattern. 5) The mean value of blood glucose showing positive urine glucose was higher in females (201±67mg/dl) than in males (158±57mg/dl). This indicates that females have a higher renal threshold for glucose, a fact which should be borne in mind when using urine samples for the detection of diabetes mellitus.