Atorvastatin improves arterial stiffness in normotensive normolipidaemic persons with type 2 diabetes.

Increased arterial stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease and mortality in middle-aged and olderadults. We measured arterial stiffness by pulse wave velocity (PWV)in brachial-ankle segments by automated oscillometry in 71 normotensive and normolipidaemic subjects with type 2 diabetes (40 males and 31 females). 57 patients (whose baPWV was more than 1400 cm/second) were randomised into two groups, group A (n=29) were given 10 mg atorvastatin daily for 6 months and group B (n=28) were given placebo. After 6 months, atorvastatin group had significant improvement in brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) (1712.03 +/- 349.9 cm/second versus 1558.81 +/- 303.26 cm/ second, p< 0.05). Though the placebo group showed some improvement (1692.03 +/- 425.15 cm/second versus 1636.78 +/- 425.1 cm/second) it was not statistically significant. Despite correlation was noted between baPWV and systolic blood pressure (SBP), there was no significant correlation between the mean baPWV and duration of diabetes, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR), waist to height ratio (WHtR), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), LDL, HDL cholesterol and spot urine albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) at the baseline. The decrement of LDL-cholesterol is correlated with the decrement of the baPWV in the atorvastatin group only (p<0.01).

Prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in a selected population with special reference to influence of family history and anthropometric measurements--the Kolkata policeman study.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of diabetes as well as IFG in a population of policemen and to evaluate the possible influence of some risk factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS: It was an epidemiological study on a group of policemen in Kolkata. Diagnosis of diabetes was based on history and fasting plasma glucose. The study population was divided in three categories: normoglycaemic, IFG and diabetes. BMI, waist circumference, WHR and waist-to-height ratio were estimated. RESULTS: Out of 2160 subjects with a mean age of 36.4 yrs (between 20 and 60 yrs), diabetes was found in 11.5% (10.4% known and 1.1% newly diagnosed) and 6.2% had IFG. Prevalence of diabetes was found to be increasing with age (p < 0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in BMI when compared between groups (normoglycaemic, IFG and diabetes). Waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and WHR of normoglycaemic group were significantly less than those with IFG and diabetes; however there was no statistically significant difference between the diabetes and IFG groups. Parental history had significant influence on the prevalence of diabetes; a 37.5% prevalence was found in persons with history of biparental diabetes and 20.8% with uniparental diabetes, whereas it was only 9.9% without any family history (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively.). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of diabetes in the study population was high and was strongly influenced by family history, age and abdominal adiposity, without having any appreciable impact of BMI.