Correlation between the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery and aortic pulse-wave velocity in patients with type 2 diabetes - Vessel wall properties in type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVE - The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between at herotic (structural) and sclerotic (functional) changes in patients with ty pe 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS- Aortic distensibility and carotid intimalmedia thickness (IMT) were evaluated using carotid-femoral aortic pulse-wave vel ocity (a-PWV) and high-resolution B-mode ultrasonography in 271 patients wi th type 2 diabetes and 285 age-matched control subjects. RESULTS - a-PWV and carotid IMT were significantly higher in the patients t han in the control subjects in all age-groups (P < 0.0001, respectively). T he carotid IMT and a-PWV were significantly correlated with age in both the patients with ripe 2 diabetes and control subjects. There was a significan t positive relationship between the carotid IMT and a-PWV in both the patie nts (r = 0.382, P < 0.0001) and control subjects (r = 0.424, P < 0.0001). T he slope of the regression line for the carotid IMT to the a-PWV was signif icantly steeper in the diabetic patients than in the control subjects (P < 0.05). Multiple regression analysis in all subjects showed that age, diabet ic state, and cigarette smoking were independently common risk factors for the increase in carotid IMT and a-PWV In the diabetic patients, the indepen dent risk factors associated with the carotid IMT were age, hyperlipidemia, and duration of diabetes (R-2 = 0.232, P < 0.0001), while those associated with a-PWV were age and duration of diabetes (R-2 = 0.334, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS - The results indicated that diabetic patients showed more adva nced changes in atherosis than that in sclerosis as compared with age- and sex-marched control subjects. Such atherotic changes in diabetic patients m ay be associated with hyperlipidemia.