A FAMILY HISTORY OF NIDDM IS ASSOCIATED WITH DECREASED AORTIC DISTENSIBILITY IN NORMAL HEALTHY-YOUNG ADULT SUBJECTS

OBJECTIVE - NIDDM is associated with stiffer arteries and an increased incidence of macrovascular disease. NIDDM has a strong familial inher itance. We studied the associations of a family history of NIDDM with blood pressure-corrected aortic distensibility (Cp). RESEARCH DESIGN A ND METHODS - Because age is a strong determinant of arterial distensib ility, we studied an age-select cohort of 67 healthy normotensive norm oglycemic young adults along with fasting measurements of glucose and insulin concentrations. Cy was calculated from noninvasive Doppler ult rasound measurements of pulse wave velocity along the descending thora coabdominal aorta. RESULTS - The mean age of the subjects was 20.6 +/- 0.7 (mean +/- SD) years. A total oi 22 subjects gave a positive famil y history of NIDDM in a parent or grandparent. Subjects with a positiv e family history of NIDDM had significantly less distensible (i.e., st iffer) aortas than their age- and sex-matched counterparts who gave no family history of NIDDM (Cp [dimensionless]: 0.22 +/- 0.04 vs. 0.25 /- 0.04, P = 0.02). Subjects with a positive family history of NIDDM a lso had significantly higher lasting glucose (5.1 +/- 0.4 vs, 4.9 +/- 0.4 mmol/l, P = 0.009) and insulin (7.5 +/- 5.5 vs. 4.2 +/- 2.0 mU/l, P = 0.02) levels and BMIs (23.2 +/- 2.3 vs. 21.1 +/- 2.5 kg/m(2) P = 0 .002). On multivariate regression analysis, family history of NIDDM (P = 0.03) was the only significant independent predictor of Cp. CONCLUS IONS - A positive family history of NIDDM is associated with decreased aortic distensibility in early adult life. The relevance of these obs ervations to future cardiovascular events merits further investigation .