Abstract
Background: Increase in intimal medial thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries is contemplated as a guide to atherosclerotic vascular disease and subclinical organ damage and foretell cardiovascular disease. The study aimed to analyse IMT in non-diabetic and diabetic subjects. Subjects and Methods: There were 105 diabetic and 95 non-diabetic subjects in this study. Common carotid artery (CCA) IMT was calculated using a linear probe of a high-resolution ultrasound medical system. Results: Diabetic subjects (0.95 mm) showed significantly higher mean intimal medial thickness (IMT) when compared non-diabetic subjects (0.85 mm) (p <0.05). Correlation of IMT was seen with age, total cholesterol, triglycerides, HDL & LDL cholesterol and systolic blood pressure (SBP) in diabetic subjects. Total cholesterol, SBP and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) showed a correlation with IMT in the non-diabetic subjects. Age, total cholesterol, SBP, and diabetes were independent risk factors for intimal medial thickness in multivariate linear regression analysis. Conclusion: Higher intimal medial thickness was seen in diabetic subjects when compared to non-diabetic subjects. We conclude that age, total cholesterol, SBP and duration of diabetes showed a significant correlation with IMT. IMT can be considered as a screening tool in diabetic patients for the early detection of atherosclerosis.
Highlights
The intima-media thickness (IMT) is equivalent to the intimamedia complex, which includes smooth muscle, connective tissue and endothelial cells, the area of fat deposition in atherosclerosis
Carotid intimal medial thickness (IMT) (CIMT) is used as a noninvasive and surrogate measure of atherosclerosis. [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] Good correlation of subsequent progress to myocardial infarction and stroke with IMT measurements is seen. [10,11] Studies have shown that for each 0.1-mm rise in carotid IMT, the relative risk of cardiovascular disease rises by 15% and that of cerebrovascular disease by 18%. [12] CIMT correlates with clinically established cardiovascular disease and the Framingham Score. [13,14,15,16,17] In type 2 diabetic patients’ duration of diabetes, hypertension, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and smoking have been identified as significant risk factors for stroke
This study looks into IMT in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects in central Kerala
Summary
The intima-media thickness (IMT) is equivalent to the intimamedia complex, which includes smooth muscle, connective tissue and endothelial cells, the area of fat deposition in atherosclerosis. Carotid IMT (CIMT) is used as a noninvasive and surrogate measure of atherosclerosis. [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9] Good correlation of subsequent progress to myocardial infarction and stroke with IMT measurements is seen. [10,11] Studies have shown that for each 0.1-mm rise in carotid IMT, the relative risk of cardiovascular disease rises by 15% and that of cerebrovascular disease by 18%. [18] Further IMT measurement is non-invasive, inexpensive, and available and carries no risk for the patient. [24] Diabetes leads to atherosclerotic vascular disease and complications like coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. This study looks into IMT in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects in central Kerala
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