A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CAROTID INTIMA MEDIAL THICKNESS BETWEEN DIABETIC AND NON DIABETIC PATIENTS

Dr.Nivedita E; Dr.Narayanan M; Dr.Siddarth N

Volume : V, Issue : II, February - 2016

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE CAROTID INTIMA MEDIAL THICKNESS BETWEEN DIABETIC AND NON DIABETIC PATIENTS

Dr. Nivedita E, Dr. Narayanan M, Dr. Siddarth N

Abstract :

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Diabetes mellitus is a group of metabolic disorders and is worldwide in distribution. It has become a potential epidemic and is reported to be the seventh leading cause of morbidity and mortality. Diabetic patients have a high preponderance to multiple vascular complications,which worsen with the duration and severity of diabetes, and thereby leading to death. The carotid intima medial thickening is a direct measurement of atherosclerosis and by evaluating it through B–mode ultrasound we will be able detect early phases of atherosclerosis. Through this study we aim to compare the carotid intima medial thickness between diabetic and non–diabetic population and also assess the relation between carotid intimal medial thickness in relation to microvascular morbidity in diabetic population. METHODS:This study was conducted at Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry. It is a comparative analytical study conducted over a period of one and half years, involving two groups, each consisting of fifty patients. The study group constituted of diabetic patients and the control group constituted of age and sex matched non–diabetic patients who attended our hospital. Patients with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance, smokers, patients with history of using oral contraceptive pills were not included in this study. Subjects were assessed for carotid intimal medial thickness by measuring the intimal medial thickness of common carotid artery (CCA) on both right and left side by using 2D ultrasound. The presence or absence of plaques was also studied. RESULTS:From this study we were able to establish that CIMT is higher in diabetic patients in comparison to non–diabetic patients (p value 0.0001). We were also able to demonstrate a positive correlation between CIMT and microvascular complications. Retinopathy was found to occur more in diabetic patients in comparison to the non–diabetics. Similar correlation could be made for coronary artery disease ,cereovascular disease . CONCLUSION: We conclude that diabetes causes an increase in the CIMT and thereby predisposes patients to vascular complications. Therefore CIMT evaluation should be made routine in all diabetic subjects irrespective of duration of diabetes and its severity in order to prevent or slow down the process of atherosclerosis.