Carotid Artery Intima Media Thickness in Predicting Coronary Artery Disease in Type II Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes Mellitus is a chronic, common metabolic disorder characterised by high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. Atherosclerosis involving the coronary, cerebral and peripheral (lower extremity) arteries is the predominant cause of diabetes related mortality, responsible for up to 70% of all deaths in patients with this disease. Coronary angiography (CAG) has been considered as the gold standard for the assessment of the degree of Coronary atherosclerosis but measurement of carotid intima thickness by ultrasonography is a non invasive and quantitative method of evaluating early atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to assess carotid artery intima media thickness and to assess any correlation between carotid artery intimal thickness and coronary artery disease in Type II DM. This study was carried out in the department of medicine, Dr. Baba saheb Ambedkar hospital, Delhi to assess carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) as a risk factor for CAD in type II diabetes using Ultrasound B scan to assess CIMT. In this study, 30 patients of DM type II with CAD, 30 patients of DM type II without CAD & 30 patients were age and sex matched controls who did not have any disease. Mean CIMT was found to be significantly increased in DM type 2 with CAD group as compared to DM type 2 without CAD and the difference was found to be statistically significant (P<0.001). Also the mean CIMT was significantly increased in DM type 2 with and without CAD as compared to controls and the difference was statistically significant. Also, patients with more than 3 cardiovascular risk factors had significantly greater CIMT than patients who had less than 3 cardiovascular risk factors and the difference was statistically significant.