Fasting Plasma Glucose and Clustering of Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Normoglycemic Outpatient Children and Adolescents

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether fasting plasma glucose (FPG) within a normoglycemic range is associated with cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRF) among children and adolescents in an outpatient setting. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Subjects (780; age 6–16 years) with FPG <100 mg/dL were divided into tertiles of FPG. RESULTS: BMI, waist circumference, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance, systolic blood pressure, and white blood cell (WBC) count (P < 0.0001) increased across tertiles of FPG. Subjects with high-normal FPG (89–99 mg/dL) showed a higher risk of insulin resistance, hypertension, and high WBC count compared with subjects with low-normal FPG, independent of BMI z score. CONCLUSIONS: In outpatient children and adolescents, higher FPG within the normal range is associated with several CMRF, independent of obesity. Thus the simple measurement of FPG may help identify subjects who warrant some monitoring in relation to cardiovascular risk.