Asymptomatic hyperglycaemia is associated with increased intimal plus medial thickness of the carotid artery.
Atherosclerotic changes have not been demonstrated directly in asymptomatic hyperglycaemic non-diabetic subjects, although high mortality due to coronary heart disease has been reported. We measured arterial wall thickness non-invasively, in order to directly demonstrate atherosclerosis of the carotid arteries of hyperglycaemic non-diabetic subjects and to evaluate its risk factors. The thicknesses of the intimal plus medial complex (IMT) of the carotid arteries of 112 asymptomatic hyperglycaemic non-diabetic subjects (aged 22-81, 95 males and 17 females) were compared with those of 55 healthy male subjects and 211 non-insulin-dependent NIDDM male diabetic patients. The subjects were subgrouped into impaired glucose-tolerant (IGT) subjects who had a 2-h glycaemic level of more than 7.8 mmol/l, and non-IGT subjects whose 2-h glycaemic levels were within 6.7-7.7 mmol/l. Non-IGT and IGT subjects showed significantly greater IMTs than age-matched healthy males and showed no significant differences compared to age-matched NIDDM patients. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the risk factors for IMT of non-IGT and IGT subjects were age and systolic blood pressure. According to data on the accumulation of atherogenic risks (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, and smoking), IMT increased linearly in non-IGT and IGT subjects. However, non-IGT and IGT subjects without hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, or smoking risk still had significantly greater IMT than age-matched normal males (1.019 +/- 0.063 vs 0.770 +/- 0.111 mm, p < 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014463:Ultrasonography