HbA1c Levels Are Genetically Determined Even in Type 1 Diabetes

HbA1c, a measure of blood glucose regulation, reflects glucose levels in the preceding months. In diabetes, HbA1c levels predict the risk of microvascular complications. The aim of this study was to determine whether genetic factors could influence HbA1c levels in normal subjects and type 1 diabetic patients. We performed a classical twin study of HbA1c in healthy nondiabetic female twins and 42 monozygotic (MZ) and 47 dizygotic (DZ) pairs. Interclass correlations (r) were higher in MZ (r = 0.77) compared with DZ (r = 0.53) twin pairs, suggesting a substantial genetic effect; this was confirmed by quantitative genetic model fitting. Additive genetic effects (heritability) explained 62% (95% CI 47–75) of population variance in HbA1c; the remainder was attributable to the influence of unique environment (23% [15–36]) and age (14% [5–28]). Multivariate modeling showed that genetic factors also have a substantial influence on fasting glucose levels (51%). However, HbA1c heritability could not be explained by genes in common with fasting glucose. In the patients with type 1 diabetes, HbA1c levels were correlated in 33 MZ twins concordant for diabetes (r = 0.68; P < 0.001) but also in 45 MZ twins discordant for the disease (r = 0.52; P < 0.001). These significant correlations for HbA1c in both concordant and discordant pairs indicate a diabetes-independent familial effect. Thus, HbA1c levels are largely genetically determined and independent of the genes influencing fasting glucose. Even in type 1 diabetes, familial (i.e., diabetes-independent) factors influence protein glycation, implying that familial factors may explain, in part, the risk for microvascular complications, as indicated by high HbA1c levels.