Reduced Lung Function and Progression to Prediabetes: A Prospective Study

Objective: Prediabetes is a state that people have blood glucose levels higher than normal but still not in diabetes range. There is a close relationship between impaired lung function and diabetes mellitus (DM). Reduced lung function can be present before the clinical evidence of diabetes or insulin resistance. Materials and Methods: The total number of subjects in this longitudinal study was ۵۰۳ and compared with apparently healthy Kashmiri adults. All the subjects, at the time of their first visit, underwent Fasting Plasma Glucose (FPG) estimation, ۲- hour oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and spirometry (FVC, FEV۱ & FEV۱/FVC). Those subjects who had normal glucose tolerance (NGT) were retested for glycemic status and spirometric values after a follow-up period of ۲-۱۸ (mean=۱۰) months. Results: Out of total ۵۰۳ subjects on follow up ۴۸۳ (۹۶%) had NGT and ۲۰ (۴%) had prediabetes. Percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) and % predicted forced expiratory volume in ۱st second (FEV۱) were significantly lower (P-value< ۰.۰۰۱) while as % predicted FEV۱/FVC was significantly higher (P-value< ۰.۰۰۱) in prediabetes as compared to NGT group. Conclusion: Results of our study point out a predominantly restrictive pattern of lung dysfunction in the prediabetes group as compared to the NGT group.