Oral glucose tolerance response curve predicts disposition index but not other cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy adolescents

Objectives In obese adults the shape of the glucose response curve during an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) predicts future type 2 diabetes. Patients with an incessant increase or monophasic curves have increased risk compared to those with biphasic curves. Since type 2 diabetes is associated with increased cardiometabolic risk, we studied whether differences in OGTT response curve are associated with differences in cardiometabolic risk factors in healthy adolescents across a wide body mass index (BMI) range. Methods Sixty-nine (33F/36M), white adolescents (age: 15.2 ± 1.7 years; BMI: 21.5 ± 4.7 kg/m2; mean ± SD) were studied. Risk factors measured included percent body fat, blood pressure, lipids, augmentation index, reactive hyperemia, endothelin 1, plasminogen activator 1, inflammatory markers (interleukin 6, c-reactive protein), insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity (Matusda index), and disposition index (DI). Results Thirty-two subjects had biphasic responses; 35 subjects had monophasic responses and two females had incessant increases. Sex did not affect the frequency of responses. Glucose area under the curve during OGTT was greater in those with a mono vs. biphasic curves (p=0.01). Disposition index was markedly lower in subjects with a monophasic curve than in those with a biphasic curve (3.6 [2.3–5.0] vs. 5.8 [3.8–7.6], median [25th, 75th%] p=0.003). Triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) ratio was higher in subjects with a monophasic curve (p=0.046). Conclusions The decreased disposition index indicates that in healthy adolescents a monophasic response to OGTT is due to decreased insulin secretion relative to the degree of insulin resistance present. This was not associated with differences in most other cardiometabolic risk markers. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov, NCT02821104.