Incidence and risk factors of vascular complications in people with impaired fasting glucose: a national cohort study in Korea

This study aimed to evaluate the risk of vascular complications of impaired fasting glucose (IFG). This population-based study included 425,608 participants from the National Health Screening Cohort in Korea in 2003 and 2004 who were followed-up until 2015. The participants were classified into normal, IFG, and diabetes groups based on fasting plasma glucose levels. Incidence rate (per 1000 person-year) was evaluated for the following vascular complications: cardiovascular (ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arterial and capillary disease), renal, and retinal diseases. Hazard ratios (HR) of IFG for diabetes were estimated after adjusting for patient characteristics. Among the 88,330 IFG participants, the incidence of cardiovascular, chronic renal and retinal diseases were 11.52, 0.47, and 1.08 per 1000 person-years, respectively. Furthermore, IFG patients with a family history of diabetes, past history of hypertension, and high body mass index had significantly increased risk of vascular complications [adjusted HR, cardiovascular: 1.39 (95% CI 1.33–1.46); renal: 2.17 (95% CI 1.66–2.83); and retinal: 1.14 (95% CI 0.98–1.32)]. IFG patients have a substantial risk of cardiovascular, chronic renal and retinal diseases. Therefore, early preventative interventions are beneficial, especially for those with high-risk factors, in whom should emphasize on maintaining a healthy lifestyle, early screening and continuous follow-up.