Effect of family history of type 2 diabetes on the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery in normal-weight, overweight, and obese glucose-tolerant young adults.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of a first-degree family history of type 2 diabetes on the intima-media thickness of the common carotid artery (IMT-CCA), a surrogate marker of coronary atherosclerosis, in glucose-tolerant young adults.


METHODS
IMT-CCA was measured by high-resolution B-mode ultrasound imaging in 401 individuals aged 18-45 years with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). A total of 213 subjects had no family history of type 2 diabetes until the third generation (FH(-)), and 188 subjects had a family history of type 2 diabetes (FH(+)), defined as having one or both parents with type 2 diabetes. Other measurements included: central fat accumulation, evaluated by waist circumference; insulin resistance, estimated by homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)); systolic and diastolic blood pressure; fasting and postload concentrations of glucose; fasting insulin levels; and lipid profile.


RESULTS
IMT-CCA and both 1- and 2-h postchallenge glucose concentrations were significantly higher in FH(+) than in FH(-) subjects. IMT-CCA was positively correlated with age, BMI, waist circumference, triglycerides, systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, basal glucose concentrations, 1- and 2-h postchallenge glucose concentrations, and HOMA(IR). IMT-CCA was inversely associated with HDL cholesterol. After multivariate analysis, IMT-CCA maintained a significant association with family history of type 2 diabetes, BMI, waist circumference, HDL cholesterol, diastolic blood pressure, and fasting glucose.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that a genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes, probably in association with slightly elevated glucose levels, may accelerate the development of atherosclerosis and increase the risk for coronary heart disease in glucose-tolerant individuals.
Pannacciulli
Nicola
N
Internal Medicine, Endocrinology, and Metabolic Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
De Pergola
Giovanni
G
Ciccone
Marco
M
Rizzon
Paolo
P
Giorgino
Francesco
F
Giorgino
Riccardo
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D005190:Family; D005215:Fasting; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008875:Middle Aged; D009679:Nuclear Family; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D001786:Blood Glucose; D014280:Triglycerides; D002784:Cholesterol