Published in:
01-12-2009 | Original Article
Myocardial ischemia, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease and their interrelationship in type 2 diabetes patients
Authors:
Mikael K. Poulsen, MD, Jan Erik Henriksen, MD, PhD, Jordi Dahl, MD, Allan Johansen, MD, DMSc, Jacob E. Møller, MD, PhD, DMSc, Oke Gerke, PhD, Werner Vach, PhD, Torben Haghfelt, MD, DMSc, Henning Beck-Nielsen, MD, DMSc, Poul Flemming Høilund-Carlsen, MD, DMSc
Published in:
Journal of Nuclear Cardiology
|
Issue 6/2009
Login to get access
Abstract
Background
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. We examined the relationship between CVD in different vascular territories.
Methods
T2DM patients without known or suspected CVD (n = 305) referred consecutively to a diabetes clinic for the first time and age-matched nondiabetic reference subjects (n = 40) were screened for myocardial ischemia, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease by means of myocardial perfusion scintigraphy, carotid artery ultrasonography, and peripheral ankle and toe systolic blood pressure measurements.
Results
In the T2DM patients, the prevalence of myocardial ischemia, carotid, and peripheral arterial disease was 30%, 42%, and 15%, respectively, almost three times higher than in the reference subjects (P = 0.007, P = 0.001, and P = 0.09, respectively). T2DM patients with myocardial ischemia, carotid, or peripheral arterial disease had a significantly increased risk of CVD in other vascular territories as well (OR: 1.99, 2.09, and 3.09, respectively). However, 40%, 52%, and 22% of the T2DM patients with myocardial ischemia, carotid, or peripheral arterial disease demonstrated exclusively this particular type of CVD manifestation.
Conclusions
In T2DM patients, signs of CVD in one vascular territory carry a significantly increased risk of CVD in other territories, although many patients only presented one manifestation.