Myocardial ischemia, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease and their interrelationship in type 2 diabetes patients

Why primary obesity is a disease?

Obesity must be considered a real pathology. In the world wide, obesity represent one of the major public health issue associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Overweight or obesity, in fact, significantly increases the risk of contracting diseases, such as: arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, coronary heart disease, cerebral vasculopathy, gallbladder lithiasis, arthropathy, ovarian polycytosis, sleep apnea syndrome, and some neoplasms. Despite numerous informative campaigns, unfortunately, the fight against obesity does not seem to work: in the last years, the prevalence continued to increase. The progressive and rapid increase in the incidence of obesity, which has characterized most of the economically advanced countries in the last decade, has been the main stimulus for the research of the mechanisms underlying this pathology and the related disorders. The aims of this review is to provide a revision of the literature in order to define obesity as diseases, secondly to highlight the limits and the inaccuracy of common tools used for the diagnosis of obesity, and as a third thing to strengthen the concept of the complexity of obesity as a disease among political health care providers. Obesity may be viewed as a multifactorial pathology and chronic low-grade inflammatory disease. In fact, people affected by obesity have greater risk of developing comorbility and morbility, respect to healthy. Hence, the absolute therapeutic benefit is directly proportional to the basic risk. So, internationally interest on early diagnosis of obesity is growing to avoid under- and overdiagnosis consequences. Therefore, the consequences are an aggravation of the disease and an increase in obesity related pathology like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. The most widely used parameter for diagnosis, body mass index (BMI) is not suitable for assessing the body fat. In fact, several studies demonstrate that BMI alone cannot define obesity, which consists not so much in weight gain as in excess fat mass. The use of suitable tools for the assessment of fat mass percentage combined with clinical and genetic analysis allowed to identify different phenotypes of obesity, which explain the various paradoxes of obesity. It is essential to adopt all possible strategies to be able to combat obesity, ameliorate the suffering of patients, and reduce the social and treatment costs of obesity.

Diabetes and number of years of life lost with and without cardiovascular disease: a multi-state homogeneous semi-Markov model

AIMS

We quantified the impact of type 2 diabetes on incidence of non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, considering CVD as a continuum from occurrence of diabetes to the end point, and estimated the 15-year life expectancy with and without CVD.

METHODS

A total of 7239 Iranian adults (3246 men), aged ≥ 30 years, were followed from 1999 to 2014. We applied a multi-state semi-Markov model with three transitions including CVD-free to non-fatal CVD, CVD-free to death and non-fatal CVD to death, and studied the influence of diabetes on each transition rate, stratifying by sex and adjusting for confounders.

RESULTS

Diabetes was significantly associated with increased risk of non-fatal CVD in men [hazard ratio, 1.70 (1.36-3.53)] and women [2.19 (1.74-2.77)], and of all-cause death [2.72 (2.03-3.63) and 1.92 (1.37-2.67) in men and women, respectively]. An increased risk of mortality was found only among diabetic men, when non-fatal CVD was occurred [2.19 (1.36-3.53)]. Men with diabetes experienced first non-fatal CVD and death without CVD 1.7 and 1.4 years, respectively, earlier than those without diabetes; the corresponding values were 1.4 and 0.7 years for women. Moreover, diabetic men lived 1.3 years less than non-diabetic counterparts when non-fatal CVD was occurred.

CONCLUSIONS

Diabetes increased the risk of non-fatal CVD events and all-cause mortality and consequently decreased the number of years lived without CVD. A decrease in LE was found only among diabetic men compared to non-diabetics after non-fatal CVD occurred.

Left ventricular systolic dysfunction predicts long-term major microvascular complication outcomes in type 1 diabetes. The Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDC) study of childhood onset diabetes

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to assess association between abnormal LVEF, in the absence of coronary artery disease (CAD), and 25-year incidence of major outcomes of diabetes (MOD) in a cardiology substudy of the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications cohort of childhood-onset type 1 diabetes.

METHODS

115 normotensive type 1 diabetes individuals without known CAD, underwent a baseline exercise radionuclide ventriculography. Abnormal LVEF was defined as a resting ejection fraction <50% or a failure to increase ejection fraction with exercise by >5% (men) or a fall in ejection fraction with exercise (women). Cox proportional hazards models were used to predict the composite endpoint of MOD (first instance of major CAD, stroke, end-stage renal disease, blindness, amputation or diabetes-related death).

RESULTS

Mean baseline age was 28 and diabetes duration 19 years. In a mean follow-up of 19 years, 50 MOD events were identified. Allowing for established risk factors at baseline, abnormal LVEF (n = 22) independently predicted MOD incidence (HR = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.12-4.00, p = 0.022) but not major CAD (HR = 1.33, 95% CI: 0.53-3.33, p = 0.539).

CONCLUSIONS

An abnormal LVEF may identify diabetic cardiomyopathy and predict long term risk of MOD (but not CAD alone) in type 1 diabetes individuals, consistent with it reflecting microvascular disease.

Is cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes associated with serum levels of MMP-2, LOX, and the elastin degradation products ELM and ELM-2?

BACKGROUND

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM) is a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). In a previous microarray study of internal mammary arteries from patients with and without T2DM, we observed several elastin-related genes with altered mRNA-expression in diabetic patients, namely matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), lysyl oxidase (LOX) and elastin itself. In this study we investigate whether the serum concentrations of elastin-related proteins correlate to signs of CVD in patients with T2DM.

METHODS

Blood samples from 302 type 2 diabetic patients were analysed for MMP-2, LOX, and the elastin degradation products ELM and ELM2. The results were investigated for correlations to signs of CVD in different vascular territories, as determined by myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, carotid artery thickness and ankle-brachial blood pressure index.

RESULTS

T2DM patients with peripheral arterial disease (low ankle-brachial index) (PAD) display higher levels of MMP-2 and ELM compared to patients without PAD. However, none of the proteins or degradation products correlated with myocardial ischemia or a combined measure of CVD-signs, including myocardial ischemia, increased carotid thickness and decreased ankle-brachial blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the diabetic environment affects the circulating amounts of MMP-2 and ELM in patients with PAD. However, the same connection could not be seen in diabetic patients with CVD broadly identified in three vascular territories. LOX and ELM-2 did not correlate to any type of CVD. Overall, serum levels of elastin-related molecules are only remotely related to CVD in type 2 diabetes.

Coronary, Carotid, and Lower-extremity Atherosclerosis and Their Interrelationship in Danish Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

OBJECTIVE

Atherosclerosis is highly prevalent among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but has been demonstrated predominantly in non-European SLE cohorts and few investigations have included more than 1 imaging modality. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of atherosclerosis in 3 frequently affected vascular territories, the coronary, carotid, and lower-extremity arteries, in a Danish, predominantly population-based SLE cohort.

METHODS

Patients with SLE without prior cardiovascular disease (CVD; n = 103) were screened for coronary artery calcification, carotid intima-media thickening and plaque, and abnormal ankle-brachial index by means of cardiac computed tomography, ultrasound of the carotid arteries, and ankle systolic blood pressure.

RESULTS

In patients with SLE, the prevalence of atherosclerosis in any vascular territory was 41%. The distribution of the atherosclerotic manifestations showed an overlap with 45% of the patients having involvement in more than 1 vascular territory. However, more than one-third of the patients with SLE with coronary, carotid, or lower-extremity atherosclerosis exclusively demonstrated this particular manifestation. Based on a multiple logistic regression model, age (p < 0.001), current smoking (p = 0.009), and the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC; p = 0.008) were significant independent risk factors for atherosclerosis at any vascular territory.

CONCLUSION

Atherosclerosis is highly prevalent among Danish patients with SLE without prior CVD. Screening for atherosclerosis in 1 vascular territory is insufficient in diagnosing atherosclerosis in patients with SLE. In Danish patients with SLE, the presence of atherosclerosis was not only assigned to traditional CV risk factors, but also associated with SLICC.

Impact of cardiovascular complications among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review

Macrovascular and microvascular complications that accompany Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) add to the burden among patients. The purpose of this systematic review is to conduct a comprehensive search of the medical literature investigating the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) complications and assess their impact on healthcare costs, quality of life and mortality among patients with T2DM in the context of microvascular complications. A total of 76 studies and reports were used in this systematic review. Hypertension was the most prevalent complication among patients with T2DM. The additional cost burden due to CV complications was higher than any other complication except end-stage renal disease. Quality of life was much lower among patients with CV complications and T2DM, and mortality was higher than either illness alone.

Plasma calprotectin and its association with cardiovascular disease manifestations, obesity and the metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

Background

Plasma calprotectin is a potential biomarker of cardiovascular disease (CVD), insulin resistance (IR), and obesity. We examined the relationship between plasma calprotectin concentrations, CVD manifestations and the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in order to evaluate plasma calprotectin as a risk assessor of CVD in diabetic patients without known CVD.

Methods

An automated immunoassay for determination of plasma calprotectin was developed based on a fecal Calprotectin ELIA, and a reference range was established from 120 healthy adults. Plasma calprotectin concentrations were measured in 305 T2DM patients without known CVD. They were screened for carotid arterial disease, peripheral arterial disease (PAD), and myocardial ischemia (MI) by means of carotid artery ultrasonography, peripheral ankle and toe systolic blood pressure measurements, and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy.

Results

The reference population had a median plasma calprotectin concentration of 2437 ng/mL (2.5-97.5% reference range: 1040–4262 ng/mL). The T2DM patients had significantly higher concentrations (3754 ng/mL, p < 0.0001), and within this group plasma calprotectin was significantly higher in patients with MetS (p < 0.0001) and also in patients with autonomic neuropathy, PAD, and MI compared with patients without (p < 0.001, p = 0.021 and p = 0.043, respectively). Plasma calprotectin was by linear regression analysis found independently associated with BMI, C-reactive protein, and HDL cholesterol. However, plasma calprotectin did not predict autonomic neuropathy, PAD, MI or CVD when these variables entered the multivariable regression analysis as separate outcome variables.

Conclusion

T2DM patients had higher concentrations of plasma calprotectin, which were associated with obesity, MetS status, autonomic neuropathy, PAD, and MI. However, plasma calprotectin was not an independent predictor of CVD, MI, autonomic neuropathy or PAD.

Trial registration number

NCT00298844

Plasma copeptin as marker of cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic type 2 diabetes patients

Recently, copeptin was found associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and all-cause mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients treated in primary care. This study aimed to evaluate whether plasma copeptin correlated to CVD in asymptomatic T2DM patients intensively investigated for sub-clinical CVD. A total of 302 T2DM patients referred to the Diabetes Clinic at Odense University Hospital, Denmark, entered the study. None of the patients had known or suspected CVD. As a control group, 30 healthy adults were recruited from the DanRisk study - a random sample of middle-aged Danes. A variety of clinical investigations were performed, including blood pressure measurements, carotid intima media thickness evaluation and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy. Blood sample analyses included copeptin measurements. Median plasma copeptin concentrations were similar in the T2DM group and the control group. However, men had significantly higher copeptin concentrations than women in the T2DM group (p < 0.001), and also, T2DM men had significantly higher copeptin concentrations than men without T2DM (p = 0.038). Copeptin correlated significantly with a number of variables, but the strongest correlation was with creatinine (R = 0.432, p < 0.001), and in multiple regression analysis, only this correlation remained significant. When association with clinical scores were investigated, plasma copeptin remained significantly associated with peripheral arterial disease (PAD) (p = 0.01). We found correlations between creatinine, copeptin levels and PAD in T2DM patients, and if confirmed, plasma copeptin combined with plasma creatinine could be a candidate for PAD screening in T2DM patients.

Mechanisms underlying increased serotonin-induced contraction in carotid arteries from chronic type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) plays important roles in the cardiovascular system; however, the relationship between 5-HT-induced vasocontraction and the arterial 5-HT system including metabolism and signal transduction, in the presence of chronic type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated 5-HT-induced contraction and associated mechanisms in carotid arteries from chronic T2D Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rats. Contractions in response to 5-HT were examined in carotid arteries from GK rats (42-46 weeks old). To investigate the response mechanisms of arterial smooth muscle, we constructed concentration-response curves for TCB2 (5-HT2A-receptor agonist), BW723C86 (5-HT2B-receptor agonist), and 5-HT in the presence of various inhibitors using endothelium-denuded preparations. Carotid arterial expressions of monoamine oxidase-A (MAO-A), serotonin transporter (SERT), and 5-HT2A were detected by immunoblotting. 5-HT-induced contraction was increased in carotid arteries from GK compared to control Wistar rats in both endothelium-intact and -denuded preparations. In denuded preparations, we found that: (1) TCB2-induced contraction was increased in GK rat arteries (vs. Wistar); (2) MAO-A inhibitor did not affect 5-HT-induced contraction, whereas SERT inhibitor augmented such contractions in both groups; and (3) differences in 5-HT-induced contractions were abolished by p38 MAPK, PI3K, and Rho kinase inhibitors. Carotid arterial expressions of MAO-A, SERT, and 5-HT2A remained unchanged in the groups. The results suggest that 5-HT-induced contraction is augmented in T2D GK rat carotid arteries. This augmentation is due to smooth muscle activation partly mediated by p38 MAPK, PI3K, and Rho kinases, and may also be partly due to arterial SERT activity.

Left atrial volume index: relation to long-term clinical outcome in type 2 diabetes

OBJECTIVES

The study sought to determine the prognostic importance of left atrial (LA) dilation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD).

BACKGROUND

T2DM is associated with the development of CVD, and morphological changes in the heart may appear before symptoms arise.

METHODS

A total of 305 T2DM patients without known CVD referred to a diabetes clinic were included consecutively (age 58.6 ± 11.3 years, diabetes duration 2.0 [interquartile range: 0 to 6.0] years). Each patient underwent a comprehensive echocardiogram and a myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS) at inclusion. Patients were divided according to left atrial volume index (LAVi) ≥32 ml/m(2). Patients were followed for median of 5.6 (interquartile range: 5.1 to 6.1) years for the occurrence of major cardiac events and death.

RESULTS

LAVi ≥32 ml/m(2) was found in 105 patients (34%). During follow-up, 60 patients (20%) experienced the composite endpoint, of whom 28 (9%) died. Patients with LAVi ≥32 ml/m(2) had a significantly higher cardiac event rate and death rate (p < 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively). Univariate predictors of the composite endpoint were age, hypertension, left ventricular diastolic function, E/e'septum-ratio and LAVi ≥32 ml/m(2); however, myocardial ischemia on MPS was not a predictor. When adjusting for age and hypertension, only LAVi ≥32 ml/m(2) was a predictor of the composite endpoint (hazard ratio: 1.82 [95% confidence interval: 1.08 to 3.07], p = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Increased LAVi was an independent and incremental predictor of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in T2DM patients with no history of CVD. (Presence of Macrovascular Disease in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; NCT00298844).

Toe brachial index in middle aged patients with diabetes mellitus type 2: not just a peripheral issue

AIM

To explore risk factors for peripheral arterial disease (PAD) as well as the association between toe blood pressure and subclinical and clinical central vascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHOD

Toe brachial index (TBI) was cross-sectionally analyzed in 742 middle-aged (54-66 years) patients with type 2 diabetes as well as non-diabetic controls and related to other vascular measures (e.g. carotid intima media thickness (IMT), presence of carotid plaque, central arterial stiffness and left ventricular mass index) and previous cardiovascular events.

RESULTS

A TBI ≤ 0.7 was seen in 22% of the patients but only one patient had severe TBI reduction (TBI ≤ 0.3). The corresponding figures in the controls were 13% and 0%, respectively. Mean TBI was significantly lower in patients with type 2 diabetes than in controls (0.81 ± 0.14 vs. 0.87 ± 0.15, p<0.001). In patients with diabetes, a lower TBI was associated with increased central arterial stiffness (p<0.001), IMT (p<0.001) and carotid plaque (p<0.001) as well as with decreasing glomerular filtration rate (p<0.001). Lower TBI was found in patients with previous macrovascular ischemic events. Furthermore, TBI was negatively correlated with age (p<0.001), diabetes duration (p<0.001) and HbA1c (p=0.01).

CONCLUSION

PAD, assessed with TBI, is common in a Swedish middle-aged diabetes type 2 cohort, affecting about one-fifth. As ankle pressure may be confounded by falsely high values in patients with diabetes due to media calcification we conclude that information about TBI may improve the risk evaluation regarding arteriosclerotic disease in both small and large vessels in type 2 diabetes.

The prevalence and ingredient cost of chronic comorbidity in the Irish elderly population with medication treated type 2 diabetes: a retrospective cross-sectional study using a national pharmacy claims database

Background

Comorbidity in patients with diabetes is associated with poorer health and increased cost. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence and ingredient cost of comorbidity in patients ≥ 65 years with and without medication treated type 2 diabetes using a national pharmacy claims database.

Methods

The Irish Health Service Executive Primary Care Reimbursement Service pharmacy claims database, which includes all prescribing to individuals covered by the General Medical Services scheme, was used to identify the study population (≥ 65 years). Patients with medication treated type 2 diabetes (T2DM) were identified using the prescription of oral anti-hyperglycaemic agents alone or in combination with insulin as a proxy for disease diagnosis. The prevalence and ingredient prescribing cost of treated chronic comorbidity in the study population with and without medication treated T2DM were ascertained using a modified version of the RxRiskV index, a prescription based comorbidity index. The association between T2DM and comorbid conditions was assessed using logistic regression adjusting for age and sex. Bootstrapping was used to ascertain the mean annual ingredient cost of treated comorbidity. Statistical significance at p < 0.05 was assumed.

Results

In 2010, 43165 of 445180 GMS eligible individuals (9.7%) were identified as having received medication for T2DM. The median number of comorbid conditions was significantly higher in those with T2DM compared to without (median 5 vs. 3 respectively; p < 0.001). Individuals with T2DM were more likely to have ≥ 5 comorbidities when compared to those without (OR = 2.82, 95% CI = 2.76-2.88, p < 0.0001). The mean annual ingredient cost for comorbidity was higher in the study population with T2DM (€1238.67, 95% CI = €1238.20 - €1239.14) compared to those without the condition (€799.28, 95% CI = €799.14 - € 799.41).

Conclusions

Individuals with T2DM were more likely to have a higher number of treated comorbid conditions than those without and this was associated with higher ingredient costs. This has important policy and economic consequences for the planning and provision of future health services in Ireland, given the expected increase in T2DM and other chronic conditions.

Fibulin-1 is a marker for arterial extracellular matrix alterations in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Extracellular matrix alterations are important elements in the arterial changes seen in diabetes, being associated with increased vascular stiffness and the development of cardiovascular diseases. However, no biomarkers for diabetes-related arterial changes have been defined.

METHODS

Mammary artery specimens from 17 men with type 2 diabetes and 18 nondiabetic individuals were used for microarray expression profiling, quantitative real-time PCR, immunoassay, and immunohistochemical analyses. A derived candidate marker, fibulin-1, which is an elastin-associated matrix molecule, was measured immunochemically in plasma from (a) 70 patients scheduled for vascular surgery, (b) 305 patients with type 2 diabetes examined with carotid ultrasonography and echocardiography, and (c) 308 patients with type 2 diabetes, followed for 15 years.

RESULTS

The most upregulated transcript in nonatherosclerotic arterial tissue from patients with type 2 diabetes encoded the extracellular matrix protein, fibulin-1. Higher concentrations of fibulin-1-protein were present in artery extracts from patients with diabetes than extracts from individuals without diabetes, and increased fibulin-1 immunostaining was apparent around the external elastic lamina of diabetic arteries. Patients with diabetes displayed increased plasma concentrations of fibulin-1 (P = 0.006). Plasma fibulin-1 concentrations correlated with hemoglobin A(1c) (P < 0.001), arterial stiffness indices including pulse pressure (P < 0.001), and carotid compliance (P = 0.004), as well as plasma N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide concentrations (P < 0.001) and were predictive of 15-year mortality (P = 0.013).

CONCLUSIONS

Fibulin-1 accumulates in the arterial wall and in plasma of patients with type 2 diabetes, and appears to be a factor associated with arterial extracellular matrix changes in type 2 diabetes.

Plasma osteoprotegerin is related to carotid and peripheral arterial disease, but not to myocardial ischemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is frequent in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients due to accelerated atherosclerosis. Plasma osteoprotegerin (OPG) has evolved as a biomarker for CVD. We examined the relationship between plasma OPG levels and different CVD manifestations in type 2 diabetes.

Methods

Type 2 diabetes patients without known CVD referred consecutively to a diabetes clinic for the first time (n = 305, aged: 58.6 ± 11.3 years, diabetes duration: 4.5 ± 5.3 years) were screened for carotid arterial disease, peripheral arterial disease, and myocardial ischemia by means of carotid artery ultrasonography, peripheral ankle and toe systolic blood pressure measurements, and myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS). In addition, plasma OPG concentrations and other CVD-related markers were measured.

Results

The prevalence of carotid arterial disease, peripheral arterial disease, and myocardial ischemia was 42%, 15%, and 30%, respectively. Plasma OPG was significantly increased in patients with carotid and peripheral arterial disease compared to patients without (p < 0.001, respectively), however, this was not the case for patients with myocardial ischemia versus those without (p = 0.71). When adjusted for age, HbA1c and U-albumin creatinine ratio in a multivariate logistic regression analysis, plasma OPG remained strongly associated with carotid arterial disease (adjusted OR: 2.12; 95% CI: 1.22-3.67; p = 0.008), but not with peripheral arterial disease or myocardial ischemia.

Conclusions

Increased plasma OPG concentration is associated with carotid and peripheral arterial disease in patients with type 2 diabetes, whereas no relation is observed with respect to myocardial ischemia on MPS. The reason for this discrepancy is unknown.

Trial registration number

at http://www.clinicaltrial.gov: NCT00298844

NT-proBNP levels, atherosclerosis and vascular function in asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria: peripheral reactive hyperaemia index but not NT-proBNP is an independent predictor of coronary atherosclerosis

Intensive multifactorial treatment aimed at cardiovascular (CV) risk factor reduction in type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria can diminish fatal and non-fatal CV. Plasma N-terminal (NT)-proBNP predicts CV mortality in diabetic patients but the utility of P-NT-proBNP in screening for atherosclerosis is unclear. We examined the interrelationship between P-NT-proBNP, presence of atherosclerosis and/or vascular dysfunction in the coronary, carotid and peripheral arteries in asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients with microalbuminuria that received intensive multifactorial treatment.

METHODS AND RESULTS

P-NT-proBNP was measured in 200 asymptomatic type 2 patients without known cardiac disease that received intensive multifactorial treatment for CV risk reduction. Patients were examined for coronary, carotid and peripheral atherosclerosis, as defined by coronary calcium score≥400, carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT)>0.90 mm, ankle-brachial index<0.90, and/or toe-brachial index<0.64, respectively. Carotid artery compliance was also determined and the reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) measured by peripheral artery tonometry was used as a surrogate for endothelial function.P-NT-proBNP was associated with atherosclerosis in the unadjusted analysis, but not after adjustment for conventional risk factors. P-NT-proBNP was not associated with vascular dysfunction. The prevalence of atherosclerosis in the coronary, carotid and peripheral arteries was 35%, 10% and 21% of all patients, respectively. In total 49% had atherosclerosis in one territory and 15.6% and 1.0% in two and three territories. Low RHI was an independent predictor of coronary atherosclerosis (odds ratio [CI], 2.60 [1.15-5.88] and systolic blood pressure was the only independent determinant of CIMT (0.02 mm increase in CIMT per 10 mmHg increase in systolic blood pressure [p=0.003]).

CONCLUSIONS

Half of asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria had significant atherosclerosis in at least one vascular territory despite receiving intensive multifactorial treatment for CV risk reduction. Coronary atherosclerosis was most prevalent, whereas carotid disease was more rarely observed. RHI but not plasma NT-proBNP was predictive of coronary atherosclerosis.

Myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in asymptomatic diabetic patients: a critical review

The increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus and the associated high cardiovascular risk has made the non-invasive identification of silent coronary heart disease in diabetic individuals an important issue. This strategy could identify higher risk asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus in whom coronary revascularization may improve the outcome beyond that achieved by currently recommended medical management. Stress myocardial perfusion imaging has been shown to be effective in detecting coronary heart disease and predicting adverse cardiac events in asymptomatic diabetic patients. However, the clinical utility of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy is debated intensively due to the paucity of prospective and outcome based evidence. The controversy stems from several observational studies, epidemiologic data and cost-effectiveness analyses. Thus, although several authors and professional organizations advocate the use of stress imaging for screening higher risk asymptomatic diabetic patients, others are cautious in recommending any kind of stress testing in that population. This review is based on a broad survey of the literature and discusses the potential role of stress myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in screening asymptomatic diabetic subjects for coronary heart disease in the current era and in relation with other non-invasive screening tools.

Identification of asymptomatic type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with a low, intermediate and high risk of ischaemic heart disease: is there an algorithm?

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

The leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes is cardiovascular disease (CVD). We examined the prevalence of myocardial ischaemia in type 2 diabetes patients and tried to establish an algorithm to identify patients with a high risk of ischaemic heart disease.

METHODS

Type 2 diabetes patients who had no known or suspected CVD, and had been referred consecutively to a diabetes clinic for the first time (n=305; age 58.6+/-11.3 years; diabetes duration 4.5+/-5.3 years) were screened for myocardial ischaemia using myocardial perfusion scintigraphy (MPS).

RESULTS

The univariate predictors of myocardial ischaemia were: atypical or typical angina pectoris, two or more traditional risk factors for CVD, BMI >32 kg/m2, systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg, HbA1c >8.5%, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein >4.0 mg/l, N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide >300 pg/ml, left atrial volume index >32 ml/m2, left ventricular ejection fraction <50%, and carotid and peripheral arterial disease. The algorithm identified low (n=96), intermediate (n=65) and high risk groups (n=115), in which the prevalence of myocardial ischaemia was 15%,23% and 43%, respectively. Overall the algorithm reduced the number of patients referred to MPS from 305 to 144.However, the sensitivity and specificity of the algorithm was just 68% and 62%, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Our algorithm was able to stratify which patients had a low, intermediate or high risk of myocardial ischaemia based on MPS. However, the algorithm had low sensitivity and specificity, combined with high cost and time requirements.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

clinicaltrials.gov NCT00298844 FUNDING: The study was funded by the Danish Cardio vascular Research Academy (DaCRA), The Danish Diabetes Association and The Danish Heart Foundation.