Glucose tolerance and glycohaemoglobin: a population study of male-to-female ratios.

We have studied blood glucose concentrations 2 h after a 75g glucose load, and glycohaemoglobin as assayed by agar gel electrophoresis, in 1084 subjects over the age of 40 in a community screening survey. There were 16 newly diagnosed diabetic women (2.7%) and 11 men (2.5%). The mean level of 2h blood glucose was 5.6 +/- 2.04 mmol/l in women and 5.33 +/- 2.14 mmol/l in men (p less than 0.002) but when corrected for age and weight the mean levels were 5.55 mmol/l in women and 5.40 mmol/l in men (p greater than 0.2). Mean levels of glycohaemoglobin were 7.30 +/- 1.10% in women and 7.17 +/- 1.18% in men (p less than 0.02) but when adjusted for blood glucose and age these were 7.25% in both sexes (p greater than 0.9). Differences in glucose tolerance in this population are related to differences in age and weight. There is no evidence for differences in glycosylation in men and women.