Risk factors for coronary artery sclerosis in patients with diabetes

OBJECTIVE:

To examine risk factors for coronary artery sclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus.

METHODS:

Patients with diabetes were divided into two groups based on whether their electrocardiogram (ECG) showed ischemic changes. In addition to traditional risk factors, other parameters (ie, serum levels of serotonin, homocysteine, thrombomodulin, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, tissue plasminogen activator, vascular endothelial growth factor, intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and endothelial-leukocyte adhesion molecule-1) were measured in both groups.

RESULTS:

In the group with ischemic ECG changes (n=13), systolic blood pressure was significantly higher than in the group with no changes (n=18). There were no significant differences in the serum levels of other factors; however, body mass index, hemoglobin A1c, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and triglyceride levels tended to be higher in the group with ischemic ECG changes.

CONCLUSIONS:

Although the sample of patients was limited, these results suggest that strict control of traditional risk factors, especially high blood pressure, is important for preventing coronary artery sclerosis in patients with diabetes mellitus.