Carotid Artery Intima-Media Thickness (IMT) in Patients with NIDDM and in Nondiabetic Controls

  • Dr Mahbub Rahman, 1. Centre for Nuclear Medicine & Ultrasound, Dhaka Medical College campus, Bangladesh
  • Dr Sharmin Quddus, 1. Centre for Nuclear Medicine & Ultrasound, Dhaka Medical College campus, Bangladesh
  • Dr Sanowar Hussain, Bangladesh
  • Dr Shahana Afroz, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission (BAEC)., Bangladesh

    • Background and Purpose: The risk of atherosclerotic vascular disease is increased in subjects with non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) compared with nondiabetic subjects. Carotid artery intima-medial thickness (IMT), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, is a strong predictor of subsequent cardiovascular morbidity. The purpose of this study was to investigate the carotid intimal-medial thicknesses (IMTs) and their determinants in patients with NIDDM and in control subjects.
    Methods: We investigated the common carotid and carotid bifurcation IMTs and their determinants in groups of patients (n=59, age 51.2±0.4 years) with NIDDM and in 78 control subjects( ages 48.5±1.0 years).
    Results: Common carotid and carotid bifurcation IMTs were greater in the NIDDM group than in control subjects (P<.05 to .01). In NIDDM patients, the mean carotid IMT correlated with postglucose 1-hour plasma insulin (r=.304, P=.01, adjusted for age and sex) and serum LDL triglyceride (r=.254, P<.05). Both diabetic status (P<.05) and the presence of clinical macrovascular disease (P<.01) contributed independently to carotid IMT.
    Conclusions: Carotid IMT was greater in NIDDM patients than in control subjects. The main determinants of IMT in NIDDM patients were related to postglucose insulin levels. Treatment of this factor is likely to reduce the atherosclerotic burden in NIDDM.