Inflammatory, atherothrombotic aspects of type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
There is a tight association between diabetes and cardiovascular disease - both occur more commonly together than independently. The development of vascular disease is dependent upon complex interactions between a number of metabolic pathways involving both fluid phase proteins and cellular components. Inflammation and coagulation are two intimately linked processes that are co-regulated. The characteristic cluster of risk factors - hypertension, hyperinsulinaemia, hyperglycaemia and lipid abnormalities, which are associated with insulin resistance - have been expanded to include inflammation and thrombotic risk. Studies in patients with diabetes indicate a higher prevalence of both inflammatory cells and thrombosis in coronary plaques in comparison to non-diabetic subjects and measures of C-reactive protein predict the development of both diabetes and cardio vascular disease in prospective studies.


METHODS
This review (based on MEDLINE searches, 1990 to 2005) looks at the inflammatory, atherothrombotic aspects of type 2 diabetes that may be involved in the accelerated development of vascular disease in the population with diabetes.
Grant
P J
PJ
Academic Unit of Molecular Vascular Medicine, The Leeds Institute of Genetics Health and Therapeutics Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Leeds, UK. p.j.grant@leeds.ac.uk
D001161:Arteriosclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000276:immunology; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology