Background: Type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to an increased incidence of cardiovascular outcomes. Carotid artery intima-media thickness and ankle-arm index are non-invasive complementary measures as subclinical markers of atherosclerosis.
Objective: To evaluate the association of carotid intima-media thickness, ankle-arm index, and inflammation profile in Mexican patients with early- and late-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Material and methods: We included 145 subjects at an academic medical center: 77 patients with early-onset (< 40 years of age) and 33 patients with late-onset (≥ 40 years) type 2 diabetes mellitus, and 35 healthy volunteers. Clinical history, anthropometrics, blood chemistry, lipids profile, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, cytokines, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were determined; carotid and lower limb ultrasound were taken. Groups were compared with ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis, Student's t or Mann-Whitney U. Spearman or Pearson correlation and logistic regression analysis were used.
Results: There were anthropometric and biochemical differences between the three groups. Concentrations of interleukin-1β, -4 and -6 were significantly higher in patients with late versus early onset diabetes. There were differences in carotid intima-media thickness and ankle-arm index between early and late onset. Age, body mass index, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, waist circumference, and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c showed direct correlation with carotid intima-media thickness, while ankle-arm index showed inverse correlation with blood pressure, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, time with disease, age at onset, triglycerides, and fibrinogen. Multivariate analysis showed an association between carotid intima-media thickness and disease duration; ankle-arm index with disease duration and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein; while only body mass index associated with end diastolic flow velocity.
Conclusions: Our findings suggest that carotid intima-media thickness and ankle-arm index are associated with inflammation markers and could be included in the evaluation of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients, according to disease onset and duration. There are important differences in interleukin concentrations between early- and late-onset type 2 diabetes mellitus. Additionally, measurement of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein is suggested in patients with abnormal ankle-arm index.