Metabolic Disorders in First-Degree Relatives of Patients With Type 2 Diabetes in a Southern Coastal Region in Iran

Diabetes mellitus is a global health challenge. Metabolic disorders in first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have been linked to a family history of diabetes.

This study aimed to investigate the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MetS), diabetes, and prediabetes in FDRs of patients with T2DM.

This descriptive study included FDRs of patients with T2DM referred to the diabetes clinic of Shahid Mohammadi Hospital, Bandar Abbas, Iran in 2017. Waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure were measured for each participant. Fasting plasma glucose was measured in venous blood samples after 8-hour fasting. Two-hour plasma glucose was measured after a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test. Triglyceride and high-density lipoprotein were measured in venous blood samples after 12-hour fasting. The Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria were used to diagnose MetS. Iranian-specific WC cutoffs from different studies were also used as alternatives for WC cutoffs in IDF criteria to form Iranian-specific MetS criteria.

This study included 300 FDRs (male: 33.7% vs. female: 66.3%) of patients with T2DM, with a mean age of 33.56±10.64 years. Among the participants, 19.7% had prediabetes and 8% had diabetes. MetS was diagnosed in 8.3% and 15% of the FDRs based on the ATP III and IDF criteria, respectively. The frequency of MetS ranged from 6.7% to 11.7% based on six different Iranian-specific WC cutoffs.

The frequency of MetS, diabetes, and prediabetes was quite high in the FDRs of patients with T2DM. Screening for these metabolic disorders can help prevent future cardiovascular events in this specific group.