title: Absence of circadian variation in the onset of acute myocardial infarction in diabetic subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the circadian pattern of acute myocardial infarction in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients and to compare it with that of controls.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown that there is a circadian variation in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, but there are few data on diabetic subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hospital based prospective case-control study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  196 diabetic patients and 196 age and sex matched controls were admitted with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction during the study period. IN 32 diabetic patients and 38 controls, the time of onset of myocardial infarction was unknown; in 34, 44, 42, and 44 diabetic patients the onset was in the first to fourth quarters respectively (chi 2 = 1.66, NS). The corresponding figures for the controls were 30, 56, 45, and 27 (chi 2 = 13.9, P < 0.005). The difference between the two groups was highly significant (chi 2 = 10.3, P < 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Diabetic subjects do not show a significant circadian variation in the onset of acute myocardial infarction.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies