title: The relationship between cholesterol concentration and carotid intima media thickness differs according to gender and menopausal status in Korean type 2 diabetic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We investigated the associations between cardiometabolic factors and carotid intima media thickness (IMT) in Korea type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients, and assessed the possible difference with respect to gender and menopausal status.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional study with 1288 T2DM patients from the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism at Gangnam Severance Hospital. Carotid IMT and various biochemical parameters were measured, and the postmenopausal status was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In partial correlation analysis, total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) were positively correlated with right maximum IMT in men. For postmenopausal women, TC and LDL-C were positively correlated with IMT (all p<0.05) while no such correlation was observed in premenopausal women. In regression analysis, age was the most predominant factor for IMT in all 3 groups. For men, insulin and TC were predictive factors for maximum IMT (all p<0.05), and for postmenopausal women, TC and LDL-C were significant factors for mean and maximum IMT (all p<0.01). However, cholesterol concentrations were not related to all types of IMT in premenopausal women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The association between LDL-C and carotid IMT seems to differ according to gender and menopausal status in T2DM patients.
authors.affiliation: Severance Institute for Vascular and Metabolic Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hye-Kyung
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Severance Institute for Vascular and Metabolic Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yu-Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: jisunn@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Ji Sun
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.affiliation: Severance Institute for Vascular and Metabolic Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Chul Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Ahn
mesh_terms: D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000473:pathology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008593:Menopause; D056910:Republic of Korea; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D002784:Cholesterol
keywords: Intima media thickness; LDL cholesterol; Premenopausal women; T2DM patients; Total cholesterol