Early onset of subclinical atherosclerosis in young persons with type 1 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the degree of atherosclerosis and its risk factors in adolescents and young adults with type 1 diabetes.


METHODS
We measured carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) in 142 subjects with type 1 diabetes (mean [SD] age = 16.0 [2.6] years) and 87 control subjects (18.8 [3.1] years). Fasting lipid and homocysteine levels, degree of glycemic control, blood pressure, and body mass index were measured in persons with diabetes.


RESULTS
The mean carotid IMT was greater in persons with diabetes ( P = .002). Among subjects with type 1 diabetes, lipid levels were significantly higher in female subjects compared with male subjects. The mean carotid IMT was significantly higher in persons with a diabetic complication (including hypertension, retinopathy, or microalbuminuria). In male subjects but not female subjects, HDL cholesterol and the LDL/HDL ratio were correlated with carotid IMT.


CONCLUSIONS
Adolescents with type 1 diabetes have increased atherosclerosis compared with control subjects. Risk factors for increased carotid IMT in these younger patients include diabetic complications and HDL cholesterol and the LDL/HDL ratio, which may be sex-specific.
Children's Hospital of Orange County, Orange, California, USA.
Jody S
JS
Krantz
Wendy J
WJ
Mack
Howard N
HN
Hodis
Chao-Ran
CR
Liu
Ci-Hua
CH
Liu
Francine R
FR
Kaufman
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017536:Carotid Artery, Common / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography
D008055:Lipids; D006710:Homocysteine