Detection of an early marker of atherosclerosis among non-insulin dependent-diabetic patients

ABSTRACT

An early marker of subclinical arteriosclerosis, the increased intimal-medial thickness [IMT] of the common carotid artery was measured by B-mode ultrasound in twenty non-diabetic and thirty non- insulin- dependent diabetic patients [ten newly diagnosed and twenty well established diabetics]. This marker was compared in non- diabetic and diabetic subjects to evaluate its correlation with some cardiovascular risk factors, and duration of diabetes. In addition, body mass index [BMI], waist to hip ratio [WHR], blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin [HbAic] and fasting concentrations of plasma glucose, serum lipids and serum insulin were measured in all subjects. In conclusion, diabetes is characterized by a greater thickness of the carotid artery, which lead to increased risk of arteriosclerosis. Also, central adiposity is considered as a predictor of IMT in non- diabetic individuals