title: Increased carotid intima-media thickness in the physiologic range is associated with impaired postprandial glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Carotid Intima-Media Thickness (C-IMT) is a reliable predictor of cardiovascular events. We examined if increased C-IMT was associated with defects in glucose metabolism in non-diabetic subjects independently of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 366 Caucasian non-diabetic subjects of the CARAMERIS study, we measured glucose response during a 75 g-Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT), insulin sensitivity index (ISI, by Matsuda Index), Liver Insulin Resistance Index (Liver-IR), insulin secretion by ΔAUC Ins0-120/Glu0-120 (ΔI/ΔG) and beta cell function (Disposition Index, DI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects were divided in two groups according to the median age (AGE1 ≤ 45 y; AGE2 > 45 y). Only 5 subjects in AGE1 and 32 in AGE2 had C-IMT > 0.9 mm. Compared to AGE1, AGE2 had a worse cardio-metabolic profile, increased cholesterol, glucose and insulin concentrations, blood pressure and C-IMT. Both ΔI/ΔG ratio and DI were significantly reduced in AGE2. By considering tertiles of C-IMT in each AGE group (G1-G3, where G3 comprised the highest C-IMT), we found that G3 showed increased OGTT glucose profiles and Liver IR, decreased ISI and DI, compared to G1 in each AGE group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased C-IMT, but within normal ranges, is associated independently of age with altered postprandial glucose profile, increased peripheral and hepatic insulin resistance, decreased b-cell function. C-IMT measurement should become a routine analysis even in younger subjects to predict the risk of cardio-metabolic disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, University Magna-Graecia of Catanzaro, Italy. andreozzif@unicz.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Andreozzi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gastaldelli
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Mannino
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sciacqua
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Succurro
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Arturi
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Folli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perticone
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D050417:Insulin-Secreting Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose
keywords: Atherosclerosis; C-IMT; OGTT