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Reduced insulin secretion in offspring of African type 2 diabetic parents
J C Mbanya1, L N Pani, D N Mbanya
1Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé I. Cameroon. jean-claude,mbanya@camnet.cm
Insights
Offspring of African type 2 diabetic parents show higher rates of glucose intolerance. Reduced early-phase insulin secretion may indicate increased diabetes susceptibility in these individuals.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Metabolic Disorders
- Genetics
Background:
- Type 2 diabetes (T2D) poses a significant health burden, particularly in African populations.
- Genetic predisposition plays a crucial role in T2D development, with parental history being a key risk factor.
- Understanding early biochemical markers can aid in identifying at-risk individuals for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify early biochemical predictors of diabetes susceptibility in offspring of African parents with type 2 diabetes.
- To investigate differences in insulin secretion and glucose metabolism between offspring with and without a parental history of T2D.
Main Methods:
- Study included 69 offspring of T2D parents (case subjects) and 62 offspring of non-diabetic parents (control subjects) from Cameroon.
- Oral glucose tolerance tests were performed, and early insulin secretion was calculated.
- Anthropometric parameters and serum insulin levels were measured.
Main Results:
- Offspring of T2D parents had a significantly higher prevalence of glucose intolerance (23%) compared to controls (6.5%).
- Case subjects exhibited lower 30-minute insulin levels and reduced early-phase insulin secretion compared to controls.
- Impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was associated with lower insulin concentrations and early insulin secretion, independent of BMI.
Conclusions:
- Offspring of African type 2 diabetic parents have a higher prevalence of diabetes and IGT.
- Reduced early-phase insulin secretion is a potential indicator of beta-cell dysfunction and increased diabetes susceptibility in this population.
Objective:
To determine the early biochemical predictors of increased susceptibility to develop diabetes in offspring of African type 2 diabetic parents.
Research Design And Methods:
A total of 69 offspring (case subjects) of 26 families in Cameroon with at least one type 2 diabetic parent were studied, and 62 offspring (control subjects) from 25 families in Cameroon with no parent with type 2 diabetes underwent an oral glucose tolerance test. Early insulin secretion was calculated using the ratio of the 0- to 30-min incremental insulin values to the 0- to 30-min incremental glucose. Anthropometric parameters were also measured.
Results:
Of the case subjects, 23% were glucose intolerant (4% with diabetes and 19% with impaired glucose tolerance [IGT]) compared with 6.5% (all with IGT) of control subjects (P = 0.02). There was also an increasing prevalence of glucose intolerance, especially IGT with increasing number of glucose-intolerant parents. Fasting serum insulin levels were not different in the two groups; however, at 30 min, the case subjects had lower insulin levels than the control subjects (P < 0.006). Case subjects with IGT had lower 30-min insulin concentration, early insulin secretion, and 2-h insulin levels than those with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) (F = 4.1, P < 0.05; F = 4.1, P < 0.04; and F = 5.1, P < 0.03, respectively). Furthermore, case subjects with NGT and IGT had lower early insulin secretion than control subjects (F = 4. 1, P < 0.03). These differences remained after adjustment for BMI and regardless of the status of parental diabetes. Two-hour insulin concentration showed a positive association (odds ratio = 0.95 CI 0.90-0.99, P = 0.039) with IGT in the case subjects.
Conclusions:
Diabetes and IGT are more prevalent in the offspring of African type 2 diabetic parents, and this may be due to an underlying degree of beta-cell impairment marked by reduced early-phase insulin secretion.