The difference between 2-hour post-challenge and fasting plasma glucose associates with the risk of cardiovascular disease in a normoglycemic population: the Tehran lipid and glucose study

Elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and 2-hour post-challenge glucose (2hPG) levels are known to be independent risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, there is limited data on the association of the difference between these measures and the risk of CVD. This study aims to investigate this association in normoglycemic Iranian adults, particularly in those with low-normal FPG levels. This prospective cohort study included 4,594 30-65-year-old participants from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study. Using multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, education level and FPG, hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated for the association between 2hPG-FPG, both as continuous and categorical variables, and the CVD risk. Analyses of receiver operating characteristic curves were undertaken to determine the optimal 2hPG-FPG cut-off value. During a median of 17.9 years of follow-up, 459 CVD events occurred. A one-unit increase in 2hPG-FPG was significantly associated with an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease in both normoglycemic (HR 1.10, 95% CI (1.01–1.19)) and low-normal FPG individuals (HR 1.16, 95% CI (1.04–1.30)); this association resisted adjustment for Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) among normoglycemic individuals. However, those with 2hPG levels greater than FPG levels had a non-significant increased risk of incident CVD compared to those with 2hPG levels of less than or equal to FPG, with corresponding HR values of 1.18 (95% CI: 0.95–1.46) in normoglycemic and 1.32 (95% CI: 0.98–1.79) in low-normal FPG, respectively. For incident CVD, the optimal cut-off value for the 2hPG-FPG was found to be 1.06 mmol/L, which was applicable for both normoglycemic and low FPG populations; using this criterion, the corresponding risks for incident CVD were 1.36 (95% CI: 1.12–1.64) and 1.57 (95% CI: 1.22–2.03), respectively. The difference between 2hPG and FPG levels within the normoglycemic range is related to an increased risk of CVD, an issue that was independent of HOMA-IR. A cut-off point for 2hPG-FPG > 1.06 mmol/L may stratify persons at higher risk. These findings were particularly notable in those with low-normal FPG.