The prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism in patients referred to cardiac rehabilitation.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism in patients who attended hospital-based cardiac rehabilitation.

Methods: We performed a single-group cross-sectional study. In a 7-month period, from September 2010. The study was conducted in a cardiac rehabilitation setting at a university hospital. Overall, 273 patients, with an established diagnosis of ischemic heart disease, who were referred to the cardiac rehabilitation center, were included. The primary outcome measure was the prevalence of impaired glucose metabolism. We also compared cardiovascular disease risk profile among participants.

Results: One hundred twenty-one participants (44%) had diabetes mellitus, of which, for 80 patients, the diagnosis was previously established. Of the 193 patients without a previous diagnosis of diabetes, 52 patients (27%) had normal glucose levels, 41 (21.2%) had diabetes, 51 (26.4%) showed impaired glucose tolerance, and 49 (25.4%) had isolated impaired fasting glucose according to the American Diabetic Association criteria. Consistent with the World Health Organization criteria, 27 patients (14%) would have had isolated impaired fasting glucose and using fasting criteria alone, 22 patients would have had undiagnosed diabetes.

Conclusion: Impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance did not identify the same patients. It seems that both fasting plasma glucose and oral glucose tolerance test are necessary in the diagnosis of impaired glucose metabolism in patients with coronary artery disease.