title: Aortic Intima-Media Thickness and Mean Platelet Volume in Children With Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus type 1 is the most common endocrine metabolic disorder occurring in childhood and adolescence due to the autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells as a result of various environmental factors interacting with an underlying genetic predisposition. Diabetes is a risk factor for early onset atherosclerosis, and the high mortality rate seen in these patients is partially related to cardiovascular diseases.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to compare mean platelet volume as a marker of early atherosclerosis with aortic intima-media thickness in children with type 1 diabetes and to identify its correlation with known cardiovascular risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 27 patients between age range of 6 and 17 years that were diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and 30 healthy children of the same age range who did not have any chronic disease. In both groups, we used the color Doppler ultrasound to measure children's aortic intima-media thickness and identify their mean platelet volumes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant difference between the groups regarding gender distribution, age, High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) and Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels (P > 0.05). Also no significant difference could be documented between the patient and control groups regarding the aortic intima-media thickness and mean platelet volume (P > 0.05). However, there was a significant correlation between aortic intima-media thickness and mean platelet volume (r = 0.351; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, there was no evidence of early atherosclerosis in children with type 1 diabetes. However, mean platelet volume having a significant correlation with aortic intima-media thickness may be useful as an early marker of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Istanbul Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ersoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Haseki Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Hatice Nilgun
authors.initials: HN
authors.lastname: Selcuk Duru
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Haseki Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Elevli
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Haseki Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ozlem
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ersoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Haseki Education and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Mahmut
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Civilibal
keywords: Atherosclerosis; Children; Intima-Media Thickness; Mean Platelet Volume; Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus