We investigated the correlation of the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) and endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE) with markers of cardiovascular disease in subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) and 1 h postload glucose ≥155 mg/dL after an oral glucose tolerance test. We stratified 282 subjects without a previous diagnosis of diabetes into three groups: 123 controls (NGT and 1 h postload glycemia <155 mg/dL), 84 NGT and 1 h postload glycemia ≥155 mg/dL (NGT 1 h high), and 75 subjects with impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IFG/IGT). NGT 1 h high subjects exhibited lower esRAGE (0.36 ± 0.18 vs. 0.4 5 ± 0.2, p < 0.05) and higher S100A12 levels than controls (5684 (3193.2-8295.6) vs. 3960.1 (2101.8-7419), p < 0.05). Furthermore, they showed an increased pulse wave velocity (PWV) and intima-media thickness (IMT). No differences were found between the NGT 1 h high group and the IFG/IGT group regarding cardiometabolic profiles. After multiple regression analyses, esRAGE was associated with glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). Age, HbA1c, and esRAGE were the determinants of IMT, whereas S100A12 and systolic pressure were the determinants of PWV. The NGT 1 h high group exhibited low esRAGE levels and an altered cardiometabolic profile. HbA1c, S100A12, and hs-CRP were associated with these alterations. In conclusion, subjects with NGT are not a homogeneous population, and they present different cardiovascular and glycometabolic risks.
Keywords: 1 h postload glycemia; arterial stiffness; cardiovascular risk; intima–media thickness; soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products.