2001 Volume 28 Issue 4 Pages 429-433
To estimate the progression rate to diabetes mellitus (a diabetic pattern diagnosed by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ≥126 mg/dl and diabetes mellitus diagnosed by a diabetic pattern or/and treatment for diabetes mellitus) among non diabetics (FPG≤125 mg/dl and not treated for diabetes mellitus), we studied 3, 604 subjects (mean age; 50.9) who consulted our institute for physical checkup during the period from April 1992 to March 1995 and reconsulted our institute five years later. According to the body mass index (BMI) and FPG level at starting point the subjects were subclassified. Mean differences in BMI and FPG after five years and the incidence of diabetes mellitus five years later were calculated. The results were as follows. (1) Overall, 4.1% (147/3, 604) of subjects showed a diabetic pattern at the starting point, while 7.1% (257/3, 604) showed a diabetic pattern five years later. (2) Two percent of the subjects whose FPG level was 100-104 mg/dl at the starting point, 7.7% of those whose FPG was 105-109 mg/dl, 18.3% of those whose FPG was 110-114 mg/dl, 37.7% of those whose FPG was 115-119 mg/dl and 68.4% of whose FPG was 120-125 mg/dl showed a diabetic pattern five years later. (3) There were no significant differences in the rate of progression to diabetes mellitus among BMI levels when FPG was 100-119 mg/dl at the starting point, but when FPG was 120-125 mg/dl at the starting point, 46.2% of subjects whose BMI was less 24 showed diabetes mellitus five years later and 87.2% of whose BMI was 24 or more showed diabetes mellitus five years later. This difference was significant by Mann Whitney's U test (p≤0.001) . Therefore, it is necessary for a person whose FPG is 120-125 mg/dl with a BMI over 24 to be managed strictly to prevent progression to diabetes mellitus.
