title: Differences in atherosclerotic plaque burden and morphology between type 1 and 2 diabetes as assessed by multislice computed tomography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE It is unclear whether the coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden is similar in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. By using multislice computed tomography (MSCT), the presence, degree, and morphology of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes were compared. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Prospectively, coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring and MSCT coronary angiography were performed in 135 asymptomatic patients (65 patients with type 1 diabetes and 70 patients with type 2 diabetes). The presence and extent of coronary atherosclerosis as well as plaque phenotype were assessed and compared between groups. RESULTS No difference was observed in average CAC score (217 +/- 530 vs. 174 +/- 361) or in the prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis (65% vs. 71%) in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, the prevalence of obstructive atherosclerosis was higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 24; 34%) compared with that in patients with type 1 diabetes (n = 11; 17%) (P = 0.02). In addition, a higher mean number of atherosclerotic and obstructive plaques was observed in patients with type 2 diabetes. In addition, the percentage of noncalcified plaques was higher in patients with type 2 (66%) versus type 1 diabetes (27%) (P < 0.001), resulting in a higher plaque burden for each CAC score compared with that in type 1 diabetic patients. CONCLUSIONS Although CAC scores and the prevalence of coronary atherosclerosis were similar between patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, CAD was more extensive in the latter. Also, a relatively higher proportion of noncalcified plaques was observed in patients with type 2 diabetes. These observations may be valuable in the development of targeted management strategies adapted to diabetes type.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands.
authors.forename: Roxana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Djaberi
authors.forename: Joanne D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Schuijf
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Boersma
authors.forename: Lucia J M
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Kroft
authors.forename: Alberto M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.forename: Johannes A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Romijn
authors.forename: Arthur J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Scholte
authors.forename: J Wouter
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Jukema
authors.forename: Jeroen J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bax
mesh_terms: D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017023:Coronary Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed