Acta Medica Medianae (Apr 2008)
IMPORTANCE OF GOOD GLUCOREGULATION IN PREVENTION OF ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DIABETS MELLITUS TYPE 1
Abstract
Patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 are at significant risk of cardiovascular disease. Non-invasive ultrasound mesaurement of carotid intima-media thickness is used for evaluation of subclinical atherosclerosis in vivo.The aim of the paper was to evaluate the degree of atherosclerosis and its correlation with glucoregulation in children with type 1 diabetes.Carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) was measured in 41 subjects with type 1 diabetes (mean [SD] age = 13.8 (3.2) years) and 20 control subjects (13.1 (2.8) years). Degree of glycemic control was determined using the levels of average HbA1c and average posprandial glucose.Mean carotid IMT was higher in subjects with diabetes (P=0.01). Mean carotid IMT was significantly higher in subjects with suboptimal and poor glucoregulation than in subjects with optimal glycemic control and healthy subjects. Posprandial glucose level was significantly lower in the group with optimal glucoregulation than in the groups with suboptimal (P=0.05) and poor glucoregulation (P=0.01); however, statistically significant correlation between the level of postprandial glucose and cIMT was not registered.cIMT measurement enables the identification of patients at increased risk of cardiovascular disease on an individual basis, as well as appropriate modification of patient treatment.
