October - 26 - 2009
An HbA1c value of more than 6.4 percent can increase mortality risk in people with type 2 diabetes, regardless of glucose tolerance status, according to a study of data from more than 18,000 subjects. The study participants, all considered at high risk for type 2 diabetes, had been involved in the ADDITION Europe study and were followed for a median of six years. According to the findings, even when glucose tolerance was normal, individuals whose HbA1c values were over 6.4 percent had a 3.13-fold increased risk of death during normal follow-up compared with those who had HbA1c under 6.0 percent. For those below 6.0 percent, impaired fasting glucose combined with impaired glucose tolerance was associated with a 2.17-fold increased risk of death. These findings were presented at the 20th World Diabetes Congress in Montreal.