Open AccessChronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) as a Risk Factor for Glucose Metabolism Perturbation and Insulin Resistance
Author(s) -
Mariève Doucet,
Louis Laviolette,
D. Gagné-Belley,
François Maltais
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
clinical and investigative medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.391
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1488-2353
pISSN - 0147-958X
DOI - 10.25011/cim.v30i3.1724
Subject(s) - medicine , insulin resistance , copd , endocrinology , body mass index , waist , diabetes mellitus , carbohydrate metabolism , insulin , homeostatic model assessment , gastroenterology , type 2 diabetes
Background: High body mass index (BMI) is associated with better survival in COPD. However, increased BMI and especially waist circumference is associated with elevated pro-inflammatory systemic markers that might contribute to glucose intolerance. On the other hand, COPD is a chronic inflammatory disease that could be a risk factor for impaired glucose metabolism. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of glucose intolerance in COPD patients and control subjects with high waist circumference.
Methods: Eleven patients with COPD (age:68±8 yr mean±SD; FEV1:49±17% pred) and 10 control subjects (C) (age:63±6 yr) underwent a 75g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). All subjects had a waist circumference >102cm and no previous history of diabetes. Height and weight were measured and each subject underwent dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to evaluate fat-free mass (FFM) and fat mass (FM) and abdominal tomography to evaluate visceral fat (VF). Blood samples were taken to measure inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein (CRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6). Venous blood samples of glucose and insulin were taken while fasting and during OGTT. Insulin resistance was estimated with the fasting homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index.
Results: FM, FFM and VF were not different between groups. Diabetes was diagnosed in two subjects in both groups (2hr post OGTT glucose ≥11.1 mmol/l). Four COPD and 1 C had impaired fasting glucose (fasting glucose 5.6–6.9 mmol/l) while 1 COPD and 2 C had impaired glucose tolerance (2hr post OGTT glucose 7.8–11.1 mmol/l). In COPD patients a negative correlation was found between the HOMA index and FEV1 (r2:0.52, P < 0.05).
Conclusions: COPD subjects with high waist circumference are similar to control subjects in term of FFM and FM, level of systemic inflammation and response to OGTT. In COPD, the severity of the disease is associated with an insulin resistance that may potentiate the risk for the development of type 2 diabetes in these patients.