Glucose levels are not the same for everyone: a real-world big data study evaluating fasting serum glucose levels by sex and age among children
Author:
Avnon Ziv Carmit12ORCID, Banon Tamar3, Ben Tov Amir234, Chodick Gabriel34, Gabay Linoy3, Auerbach Adi12, Hirsch Harry J.12, Levy Khademi Floris15
Affiliation:
1. Maccabi Healthcare Services and Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Department of Pediatrics , Shaare Zedek Medical Center , Jerusalem , Israel 2. Maccabi Healthcare Services , Tel Aviv , Israel 3. Kahn-Sagol-Maccabi Research and Innovation Institute , Tel Aviv , Israel 4. Sackler School of Medicine , Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv , Israel 5. The Faculty of Medicine , Hebrew University , Jerusalem , Israel
Abstract
Abstract
Objectives
Understanding the normal range of laboratory values as pertained to different age groups and males or females is paramount in health care delivery. We aimed to assess the distribution of morning fasting serum glucose levels by age and sex in the general population of children using a large-scale population-based cohort.
Methods
A retrospective study with real-world de-identified data from a large, state mandated health fund in Israel among children aged 2–18 years old between 2006 and 2019. Age, sex, and BMI differences in mean glucose levels were evaluated.
Results
Study included 130,170 venous blood samples from 117,411 children, 53.3 % were female. After adjusting for age boys had higher fasting serum glucose levels than girls, with a mean of 89.21 ± 8.66 mg/dL vs. 87.59 ± 8.35 (p<0.001) [4.95 ± 0.48 mmol/L vs. 4.86 ± 0.46]. Compared to the 15 to 18 year-olds (88.49 ± 7.63 mg/dL) [4.92 ± 0.42 mmol/L], 2 to 5 year-olds had lower glucose levels (84.19 ± 10.65, [4.68 ± 0.59] (p<0.001)), 11 to 14 year-olds had higher glucose (90.40 ± 7.42 [5.02 ± 0.41], (p<0.001)) and 6 to 10 year-olds showed no difference (88.45 ± 8.25) [4.91 ± 0.46]. 33.0 % (n=42,991) had a BMI percentile record the same year as their glucose test result. There was a weak yet significant positive association between blood glucose levels and BMI.
Conclusions
Our large cohort indicates that boys have slightly higher fasting serum glucose levels than girls, as do adolescents compared to younger children. This finding is important for the delivery of adequate health care, screening for illness and avoiding unnecessary investigations and tests.
Funder
Maccabi Health Care Services, Marom program
Publisher
Walter de Gruyter GmbH
Subject
Endocrinology,Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism,Pediatrics, Perinatology and Child Health
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