title: Comparison of carotid and lower limb atherosclerotic lesions in both previously known and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare carotid and lower limb atherosclerotic lesions, and examine if carotid atherosclerotic lesions are in line with lower limb atherosclerotic lesions, and can reflect generalized atherosclerosis in inpatients with type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational study carried out in 867 Chinese inpatients with type 2 diabetes, including 573 previously known and 294 newly diagnosed patients. Ultrasonographic assessments of intima-media thickness (IMT), plaques, and stenosis in the carotid and lower limb arteries were evaluated. Atherosclerotic lesions between the carotid and lower limb arteries were compared in both previously known and newly diagnosed diabetes, respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In both the known (77.3% vs 49.4%, P < 0.001) and the newly diagnosed diabetes (55.4% vs 29.9%, P < 0.001), the prevalence of atherosclerotic plaques was significantly higher in the lower limb arteries than in the carotid arteries. Likewise, the prevalence of stenosis was also significantly higher (P < 0.001) in the lower limb arteries (16.9%) than in the carotid arteries (4.2%) in the established diabetes patients. However, there was no significant difference in the mean IMT between common carotid and common femoral arteries in both the previously known (0.90 ± 0.24 mm vs 0.89 ± 0.20 mm, P = 0.675) and the newly diagnosed diabetes patients (0.86 ± 0.22 mm vs 0.85 ± 0.16 mm, P = 0.436).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Carotid plaques might underestimate generalized plaques in inpatients with type 2 diabetes, as shown by its significantly lower prevalence compared with that of the lower extremity arteries. A combined carotid and lower limb ultrasound examination can improve the detection of atherosclerotic lesions in inpatients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Xi
authors.initials: LX
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Jun-Xi
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yin-Fang
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Tu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Li-Bo
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Mei-Fang
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Xing
authors.initials: WX
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound in Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Jia-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Guo-Yue
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yu-Qian
authors.initials: YQ
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Shanghai Jiao Tong University Affiliated Sixth People's Hospital Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Diabetes Institute Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai Clinical Center for Diabetes Shanghai, Jiangsu, China ; Shanghai key Laboratory of Diabetes Mellitus Shanghai, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Wei-Ping
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: Jia
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Diabetes; Epidemiology