Does Elevated Plasma Triglyceride Level Independently Predict Impaired Fasting Glucose?

OBJECTIVEdElevated plasma triglycerides (TGs) have been included in diabetes risk pre-diction models. This study examined whether elevated TGs predict risk for impaired fasting glucose (IFG). RESEARCH DESIGN ANDMETHODSdThis study used the baseline and longitudinal follow-up data from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The analysis included non-Hispanic whites, African Americans, Hispanics, and Chinese Americans 45–84 years of age who had fasting glucose,100 mg/dL at baseline and who did not have clinically evident car-diovascular disease or diabetes. Cox proportional regression models were used to examine the association of elevated TGs with incidence of IFG adjusting for central obesity, low HDL cho-lesterol, elevated blood pressure, baseline fasting glucose, and BMI. Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), sensitivity, and specificity of elevated TGs in predicting IFG were calculated. RESULTSdThe incidence rate of developing IFG was 59.1 per 1,000 person-years during the median 4.75 years of follow-up. African Americans and Hispanics had a higher incidence rate of IFG compared with non-Hispanic whites among people with normal TG concentrations. Ele