Increased echolucency of carotid plaques in patients with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Diabetes is associated with the presence of moderate to large atherosclerotic carotid plaques. Previous carotid ultrasound studies have associated plaques with low echogenicity with a higher risk of cerebrovascular events. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether patients with type 2 diabetes have different plaque echogenicity than do nondiabetic subjects.


METHODS
Forty-seven type 2 diabetic and 51 nondiabetic subjects with a carotid plaque in the right artery were included in this study. All patients were born in 1935 to 1936 and were participants in a population-based study. Carotid ultrasonography was performed and the risk factors for cardiovascular disease were determined. Plaque echogenicity was assessed quantitatively on B-mode ultrasound images by standardized gray-scale median values.


RESULTS
Gray-scale median values were significantly lower, indicating more echolucent plaques, in patients with type 2 diabetes compared with nondiabetics (37.0+/-14.8 vs 45.5+/-15.4, P=0.007). Of the other risk factors studied, only triglycerides were significantly associated with the echogenicity of the plaque.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with type 2 diabetes have more echolucent plaques compared with nondiabetic subjects. This might be associated with the higher risk of cardiovascular events among diabetics.
Ostling
Gerd
G
Clinical Research Unit, Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden. gerd.ostling@med.lu.se
Hedblad
Bo
B
Berglund
Göran
G
Gonçalves
Isabel
I
D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods