IS RACE RELATED TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL - AN ASSESSMENT OF GLYCOSYLATED HEMOGLOBIN IN 2 SOUTH-CAROLINA COMMUNITIES

To consider the relationship between race and long-term glycemic contr ol, as measured by glycosylated hemoglobin (GHb), we analyzed data fro m a community-based sample of 3175 adults in the South Carolina Cardio vascular Disease Prevention Project. A clinically meaningful differenc e for mean GHb levels (10.5 vs 8.4%, P < 0.001) was present between bl ack people and white people reporting diabetes. Similarly, a significa nt association between race and GHb was present among people reporting ''borderline diabetes'' or no diabetes. Logistic regression confirmed this finding in all three diabetic categories, however, controlling f or insulin use in the diabetic group reduced (P < 0.001) the associati on between GHb and race. These findings confirm that further improveme nts in glycemic control are necessary, especially for black patients a nd that black people not reporting diabetes have higher GHb levels com pared to white people, possibly due to undiagnosed diabetes.