Ultrasonographic study of common carotid arteries in adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Aim.
To elucidate sonographic characteristics of common carotid arteries in adolescents with type1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) depending on the duration of the disease and thepresence of chronic complications.
Materials and methods.
A total of 56 adolescents having DM1 of different duration were examined to evaluate conditions of common carotid arteries (CA) in the systole anddiastole during at least 3 cardiac cycles. The following parameters were measured: CA diameter, intima-media thickness (IMT), estimated stretch and stiffness coefficients, Youngsmodulus. The control group comprised 16 healthy adolescents.
Results.
Bilateral increase of IMT was recorded in patients with DM duration over 5 years. Youngs modulus, stretch and stiffness coefficients were virtually unrelated to diseaseduration. In patients having DM for more than 10 years, stretch coefficient was 5.38 (95% DI 4.82-5.8) compared with 5.82 (95% DI 5.63-7.38) in those with DM for less than 3years (p = 0.04). The level of albuminuria correlated with IMT (r=0.32, p=0.03), stiffness coefficient (r = 0.43, p=0.001), stretch coefficient (r= -0.48, p<0.001), and Young modulus(r=0.32, p=0.002). Dyslipidemia occurred almost in half of the patients with DM duration over 5 years. In patients with hyperlipidemia, IMT was significantly higher than inpatients with normolipidemia (0.58 and 0.5 mm respectively, p=0.013). IMT also increased in case of distal neuropathy.
Conclusion.
Examination of CA revealed enhanced IMT in adolescents with DM1 over 5 years, dyslipidemia, proteinuric nephropathy, and distal neuropathy. Calculated indicesof vascular resistance and arterial wall elasticity were related to the level of albuminuria.