Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Glycaemic variability has been proposed as a contributing factor for development of diabetes related complications. This concept originated from Epidemiology of Diabetes Interventions and Complications (EDIC) study, in which, although the HbA1C was similar in conventional and intensively treated groups, the incidence of retinopathy was higher in the conventional group. This was attributed to glycaemic variability. Studying glycaemic variability in prediabetes would provide a better understanding of prediabetes and its complications.

Aims and objectives: To study glycaemic variability in prediabetic Indian women.

Materials and methods: After informed consent, prediabetic women (based on OGTT) were connected to a continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) device for 72 h. Various indices of glycaemic variability including mean amplitude of glycaemic excursions (MAGE) were calculated using the easy GV software©.

Results: Fifteen eligible women were enrolled over a period of 6 months. The mean age was 36.13 years (S.D. 9.1) and mean BMI was 31.54 kg/m² (S.D. 7.86). All subjects had interstitial glucose measurement <200 mg/dl during the 72 h of CGM recording. The mean MAGE was 2.74 (S.D. 0.72). MAGE was elevated (>1.3) in 47% of the subjects. Individuals with prediabetes had different glycaemic variability irrespective of their subgroup (IFG/IGT/both). There was no significant correlation between MAGE and BMI, HbA1c or triglycerides. There was a trend towards positive correlation of MAGE with waist circumference (R=0.527, P=0.053).

Conclusions: Women with prediabetes showed a range of glycaemic variability across the board irrespective of their subgroup (IFG/IGT/both), thus providing an opportunity to categorize prediabetics in a distinct way. A prospective study would be required to see whether the categorization based on glycaemic variability has the ability to stratify risk and has treatment implications.