HYPERGLYCEMIA AND CORONARY HEART-DISEASE - WHITEHALL STUDY

In a 5-yr follow-up of 18,403 male London civil servants, aged 40-64 yr, coronary heart disease mortality has been examined in relation to baseline levels of blood glucose concentration measured 2 hr after a 50 g oral glucose load. When deciles of the blood sugar distribution were considered, no trend of age-adjusted 5-yr CHD mortality rates was apparent. There was also no significant trend in the prevalence of Minnesota-Coded ECG abnormalities with deciles of blood sugar. However, for individuals with blood sugars above the 98th centile (106 mg/dl for ages 40-59 yr; 110 mg/dl for ages 40-64 yr) there was approximately a doubling of CHD mortality, this increase being independent of age and blood pressure. The prevalence of ECG abnormalities (Whitehall Criteria) was also increased above the 90th centile of blood sugar. © 1979.