Effect of age and Blood Pressure on Surrogate Markers of Atherosclerosis in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Abstract

Increased arterial stiffness may be an important path- way linking diabetes mellitus to increased cardiovascular risk. The study was conducted to assess the surrogate markers of arterial stiffness in patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and compare with age-matched hypertensive and healthy controls. Also the effect of age and blood pressure on these markers was evaluated. This cross-sectional study was carried out at a tertiary care hospital in West India. After a detailed medical history and anthropometric evaluation, all the participants were subjected to measurements of Arterial Stiffness Index (ASI), Pulse Wave Velocity (PWV), and Augmentation Index (AIx) using a non-invasive oscillometric method. The four study groups consisted of patients with T2DM (>5 years) along with hypertension, newly diagnosed patients with T2DM (<2years) without hypertension, hypertensive controls, and healthy controls. PWV, ASI, AIx were elevated in patients with T2DM compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). Patients with T2DM above 60 years had higher carotid-femoral PWV, ASI and AIx than those below 60 years (p<0.05). ASI and AIx were significantly increased in patients with T2DM with hypertension having systolic BP > 140 mmHg compared to those with systolic BP < 140 mmHg. A very strong correlation between PWV and AIx in patients with T2DM and hypertensive controls was observed. This study reveals that markers of arterial stiffness (PWV, ASI, AIx) were increased significantly in patients with T2DM compared to healthy controls. Age and systolic blood pressure had significant influence on these markers. Thus, oscillometric markers have potential utility in identifying subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with T2DM.