Abnormal glucose metabolism in Hispanic parents of children with acanthosis nigricans

Purpose: assess the prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism in Hispanic parents with acanthosis nigricans (AN+) children. Hypothesis: parents with AN+ children are at higher risk for diabetes. Methods: 258 Hispanic families with overweight children participating in a primary prevention of Type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular diseases program were evaluated for metabolic and anthropometric parameters (fasting blood glucose, AN, and T2D). Criteria used: fasting impaired glucose (IFG), abnormal glucose (°Ý126 mg/dl), or prior diagnosis of T2D. Results: Of 343 parents screened (229 mothers/114 fathers), 90/30.0% of the parents with AN+ children showed abnormality of carbohydrate metabolism versus 17/18.3% of parents of AN- children (p=0.048). Among parents with AN+ children, 19.6% had IFG, 5.6% had abnormal glucose, and 4.8% had diagnosis of T2D. Conversely, 16.1% of parents of AN- children had IFG, 2.2% had abnormal glucose, and 0% had T2D. Almost one fifth (17.3%) of mothers with AN+ children had IFG compared to 7.1% with AN¨C children; 4.0% mothers with AN+ children had abnormal glucose compared to 1.8% with AN- children (p=0.028). Fathers of AN+ children showed higher prevalence of abnormal glucose levels compared to those with AN- children, however the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Hispanic AN+ children have parents with a higher prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism abnormalities. Mothers with AN+ children may be affected more frequently with abnormal glucose metabolism. Having an AN+ child among Hispanics may need to be considered as an additional risk factor for focused screening for T2D.