Korean J Intern Med.  2012 Sep;27(3):285-292. 10.3904/kjim.2012.27.3.285.

Associations between Hemoglobin Concentrations and the Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

• Chung JO
• Cho DH
• Chung DJ
• Chung MY

• KMID: 1776520
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2012.27.3.285

Abstract

BACKGROUND/AIMS
Many studies have demonstrated an association between hemoglobin levels and cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients. The aim of this study was to determine whether there is an association between hemoglobin concentrations and various clinical parameters, including metabolic factors, plasma C-peptide response after a meal tolerance test, and microvascular complications, in Korean patients with type 2 diabetes.
METHODS
In total, 337 male patients with type 2 diabetes were recruited. All subjects were subjected to a meal tolerance test and underwent assessment of hemoglobin levels, fasting and postprandial beta-cell responsiveness, and microvascular complications.
RESULTS
Patients with lower hemoglobin concentrations had a longer duration of diabetes, a lower body mass index, and lower concentrations of total cholesterol, triglycerides, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. They also had lower levels of postprandial C-peptide, Delta C-peptide, and postprandial beta-cell responsiveness. They had a higher prevalence of retinopathy and nephropathy. In multivariate analyses, there was a significant association between nephropathy and hemoglobin concentration. Also, hemoglobin concentrations were independently associated with Delta C-peptide levels and postprandial beta-cell responsiveness.
CONCLUSIONS
Hemoglobin concentrations are associated with postprandial C-peptide responses and diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Keyword

Hemoglobins; Diabetes complications; Diabetes mellitus, type 2

MeSH Terms

Aged
Biological Markers/blood
Blood Glucose/metabolism
C-Peptide/blood
Cross-Sectional Studies
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/*blood/diagnosis/epidemiology
Diabetic Nephropathies/*blood/diagnosis/epidemiology
Diabetic Retinopathy/*blood/diagnosis/epidemiology
Hemoglobins/*metabolism
Humans
Insulin-Secreting Cells/metabolism
Linear Models
Lipids/blood
Logistic Models
Male
Middle Aged
Multivariate Analysis
Odds Ratio
Postprandial Period
Prevalence
Republic of Korea/epidemiology
Risk Assessment
Risk Factors