Impact of atherosclerosis and age on Doppler sonographic parameters in the diagnosis of renal artery stenosis

Carotid Doppler ultrasonographic findings of dapagliflozin use in type 2 diabetic patients

AIM

Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors have been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiovascular disease risk indirectly through Doppler ultrasonography (USG) of carotid artery vascular markers in T2DM patients using dapagliflozin.

METHODS

One hundred forty-five patients presenting to our clinic between March 2016 and June 2018 and diagnosed with T2DM were included in the study. These were divided into two groups - a dapagliflozin group of 85 patients and a 60-member non-dapagliflozin control group. Common carotid artery end-diastolic velocity (EDV), peak systolic velocity (PSV), and resistive index (RI) parameters were evaluated using Doppler USG in both groups.

RESULTS

The mean duration of follow-up was 2.2 ± 0.4 years. Mean ages were 45 ± 14 years in the dapagliflozin group and 42 ± 15 in the control group. Mean HbA1c was 7.4 ± 1.6 in the dapagliflozin group and 7.3 ± 2.1 in the control group. Common carotid artery, PSV, and EDV parameters were higher (p = .012/p = .036), while RI was lower (p ˂ .001), in the dapagliflozin group than in the control group.

CONCLUSION

Vascular resistance was lower in the group using dapagliflozin for diabetes management.

Pictorial review: Renal ultrasound

Ultrasound (US) is the first-line imaging modality for evaluating azotemic patients for urinary obstruction and renal size. US is also valuable for distinguishing congenital variants and simple cystic lesions from renal masses. Doppler US is effective in detection of renal calculi and evaluation of vascular pathology. Unfortunately, renal US is limited in distinguishing causes of medical renal disease. The kidneys have a complex internal architecture with a highly variable appearance on US. This article illustrates non-neoplastic renal conditions, including normal and embryological variants, parenchymal, cystic, and vascular diseases. Renal infections, calcifications, and trauma and fluid collections are also discussed, with an emphasis on distinguishing US features and pathophysiology.