Carotid Intima-Media Thickness in Pediatric Type 1 Diabetic Patients

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—To compare the carotid artery intima-media thickness in Hispanic pediatric type 1 diabetic patients against that in healthy control subjects matched for age, sex, height, and BMI. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The evaluation consisted of anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters, and a carotid Doppler and real-time ultrasound, in which carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT), peak systolic velocity, and end diastolic velocity were measured using standardized procedures. RESULTS—A total of 52 diabetic patients and 47 control subjects were included. No significant differences existed in the characteristics between case and control subjects (mean age 11.8 ± 3.1 vs. 11.8 ± 2.8 years, weight 42.2 ± 15.3 vs. 44.2 ± 14.4 kg, height 1.45 ± 0.15 vs. 1.47 ± 0.15 m, BMI 19.3 ± 3.2 vs. 19.9 ± 4.4 kg/m2, systolic blood pressure 99.1 ± 9.9 vs. 99.6 ± 9 mmHg, and diastolic blood pressure 63 ± 6.4 vs. 62.0 ± 5.7 mmHg, respectively). The mean duration of diabetes was 4.8 ± 3.2 years (range 6–144 months), and the mean A1C was 8.6 ± 1.6%. A significantly higher cIMT was found in the patients with type 1 diabetes (0.463 ± 0.04 vs. 0.441 ± 0.04 mm; P = 0.001). In contrast, both peak systolic velocity (107.1 ± 22.8 vs. 119.3 ± 19.2, P < 0.005) and end diastolic velocity (28.4 ± 6.0 vs. 33.0 ± 7.0, P < 0.001) were higher in the control subjects. CONCLUSIONS—Type 1 diabetes is associated with higher cIMT and decreased flow velocities in a Hispanic pediatric population.