Interrelationship between endothelial function of blood vessels and intima-media thickness in carotid artery in type 2 diabetes

Objective To elucidate wether endothelial dysfunction in the brachial artery is related to the intima-media thickness of the carotid artery in type 2 diabetes.Methods The flow-mediated vasodilatation of the brachial artery,intima media thickness(IMT) of carotid arteries were measured using B-mode ultrasound in 63 type 2 diabetes,and 32 controls.Results The flow-mediated vasodilatation of the brachial artery in the group with type 2 diabetes was significantly lower than that of the control group(F= 8.56,P 0.01).The intima media thickness(IMT) of carotid arteries in type 2 diabetes with hypertension ( 0.98± 0.09) or coronary heart disease ( 1.12± 0.13) was significantly higher than that of the newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes without complications(P 0.01).A significant negative correlation between the IMT of the carotid artery and persent FMD was found in all of the subjects (r= -0.358,P 0.01).Conclusions The endothelium dependent vasodilation was impaired in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.Diabetes has higher incidence of atherosclerosis of main arteries since the endothelium dependent relaxing function decreased.