Correlation between Arachidonic Acid Metabolites and Vascular Endothelial Dysfunction in Chinese Elderly with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective: This study was carried out to determine the correlation between arachidonic acid metabolites and vascular endothelial dysfunction in older Chinese patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: High-resolution ultrasound was employed to measure ow-mediated dilation (FMD) and sub - lingual nitroglycerin-induced dilation (NID) of the brachial artery. Serum 14,15-dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-DHET), the end-product of 14,15- epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (14,15-EET) and 6-keto-prosta - glandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α), the end-product of prostacyclin (PGI2), were measured in 60 healthy elder - ly volunteers, 78 senile diabetic patients without nephropathy (SD) and 58 senile diabetic patients with nephropathy (SDN). Results: Compared to healthy elderly volunteers, serum 14,15-DHET and 6-keto-PGF1α levels were re - duced by 50% in SD. No further decline was observed in SDN. 6-keto-PGF1α was associated with FMD, but not with NID in the brachial artery of healthy elderly volunteers. Brachial FMD and NID were im - paired in all diabetic patients. The correlation between FMD and 6-keto-PGF1α or 14,15-DHET was lost in diabetic subjects. On the other hand, NID was positively correlated with 6-keto-PGF1α or 14,15-DHET in SD. Only NID and 6-keto-PGF1α correlation persisted in SDN. In addition, brachial artery dysfunction was negatively correlated with urinary albumin excretion and serum triglyceride in SDN patients. Conclusions: Impaired brachial artery vasodilation was associated with reduced PGI2 and EET produc - tion in older Chinese subjects with type 2 diabetes.