Significance of vascular calcification in diabetic patients with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke

Abstract

Patients with diabetes have greatly elevated risks of atherosclerotic diseases such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and stroke. Vascular calcification in advanced atherosclerosis is a common feature in diabetic patients. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that apoptosis and chondro/osteogenic differentiation of vascular wall cells such as smooth muscle cells may play important roles in the progression of vascular calcification. Diabetes may promote vascular calcification through the action of various factors including hyperglycemia, oxidative stress, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and advanced glycation end products. Detection of coronary calcium by electron-beam computed tomography (EBCT) revealed clinical significance of vascular calcification and this technique may be a useful method to identify diabetic patients with increased risks of cardiovascular disease and stroke.