Peripheral arterial disease and indicators of low-grade inflammation in patients with coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: The study of low-grade inflammation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases is a pressing problem. A deeper understanding of the cascade of inflammatory reactions, possibly mediating the severe atherosclerotic lesions of various vascular pools in patients with diabetes, has the potential to introduce more sophisticated diagnostic and therapeutic approaches into practice.

AIM: To study the interrelation of low-grade inflammation and atherosclerosis of peripheral arteries in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) and T2DM.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included 137 patients (77 men and 60 women) with CAD. The average age of patients was 62.0 (57.0–66.0) years. The first group included 67 patients with CAD and T2DM, and the second group included 70 patients with CAD. Low-grade inflammation was assessed by the levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α. All patients underwent duplex scanning of carotid arteries and lower extremity arteries (LEAs).

RESULTS: Patients with CAD and T2DM showed significantly greater values of stenosis of carotid arteries and LEAs. Direct correlation was revealed between markers of inflammation and the degree of stenosis of the femoral and tibial arteries, as well as the intima-media thickness of the carotid and femoral arteries. In the group of patients with T2DM, the value of IL-1β was 2.04 (0.98–2.52) pg/mL, which was significantly less than 2.43 (1.84–3.19) pg/mL for patients in the second group (p = 0.010). The values of IL-6 were also significantly lower in the first group of patients, at 1.84 (0.73–4.41) pg/mL vs. 3.73 (2.27–10.2) pg/mL in the first and second groups, respectively (p = 0.008). The dose of metformin was inversely correlated with the level of IL-6 (r = −0.314, p = 0.003).

CONCLUSIONS: Patients with CAD and T2DM compared with patients without diabetes had significantly greater values of stenosis of peripheral arteries. The levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in the group of patients with CAD and T2DM were significantly lower in comparison with patients without diabetes. The dose of metformin was inversely correlated with the level of IL-6.

peripheral artery disease, diabetes mellitus, interleukin-6, interleukin-1β, metformin

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