Plasma glucose levels and white blood cell count are related with ankle brachial index in type 2 diabetic subjects.
BACKGROUND
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a major risk factor for peripheral arterial disease (PAD). A simple, noninvasive method for the estimation of PAD is ankle brachial index (ABI). The aim of the present study was to determine whether there is an association between ABI and cardiovascular risk factors in T2DM subjects without apparent macrovascular disease.


METHODS
A total of 125 T2DM subjects (84 males, 41 females, mean age ± standard deviation 62.2 ± 9.1 years) who had no apparent macrovascular disease and who attended the Health Center of Erymantheia between January 2008 and June 2009 were recruited to the study.


RESULTS
Of the study subjects 20% (n=25) had ABI <0.90. Univariate linear regression analysis showed that ABI was significantly associated with history of hypertension (p=0.02), fasting serum glucose levels (p=0.02), serum urea levels (p=0.005), serum uric acid levels (p=0.007) and white blood cell (WBC) count (p=0.04). Multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated significant independent associations between ABI and fasting serum glucose levels (p=0.03) as well as WBC count (p=0.03).


CONCLUSIONS
Elevated plasma glucose and WBC count increase the risk of PAD in asymptomatic diabetics.
Papazafiropoulou
Athanasia
A
3rd Department of Internal Medicine and Center of Diabetes, General Hospital of Nikaia Ag. Panteleimon, Piraeus, Greece. pathan@ath.forthnet.gr
Kardara
Marina
M
Sotiropoulos
Alexios
A
Bousboulas
Stavros
S
Stamataki
Petroula
P
Pappas
Stavros
S
D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors
D001786:Blood Glucose