Abstract

Background: Prediabetes is a category of glucose tolerance representing an intermediate stage between normal glucose tolerance and diabetes and is characterized by impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). People with prediabetes eventually progress to diabetes over a period, and this factor becomes a more important when first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with Type 2 diabetes are concerned as genetics is an unmodifiable risk factor.

Aims and Objectives: To determine the prevalence of IFG and IGT in the FDRs of patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in a rural population of central India.

Materials and Methods: A total of 200 subjects (134 males and 66 females), over the age of 20 years from village Hatpiplia, Dist Dewas, Madhya Pradesh who were FDRs of patients with T2DM were evaluated. Blood samples for fasting blood sugar (FBS) and 2 h postglucose blood sugar were taken and analyzed on fully automated analyzer MERCK Microlab 300 LX by enzymatic colorimetric method.

Results: The prevalence of IFG was found to be almost 14.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] 10.29-20.05) in the FDRs of relatives with T2DM and 10% (95% CI 6.5-14.9) had newly diagnosed DM on the basis of their fasting sugar levels. Only 13% (95% CI 9.0-18.3) of the subjects had impaired glucose levels on 2 h postglucose loading blood sugar and DM by this method came to be very similar to the FBS method.

Conclusion: Diabetes is a rapidly developing condition even in rural sectors of our nation and necessary measures should be taken to bring down the prevalence of this disease.

Key words: Impaired Fasting Glucose; Impaired Glucose Tolerance; Prediabetes; First Degree Relatives