Relationship between frequency of hypoglycemic episodes and changes in carotid atherosclerosis in insulin-treated patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 9:7:39965. doi: 10.1038/srep39965.

Abstract

The effect of hypoglycemia on the progression of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains largely unknown. This is a post hoc analysis of a randomized trial to investigate the relationship between hypoglycemic episodes and changes in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Among 274 study subjects, 104 patients experienced hypoglycemic episodes. Increases in the mean IMT and left maximum IMT of the common carotid arteries (CCA) were significantly greater in patients with hypoglycemia compared to those without hypoglycemia. Classification of the patients into three groups according to the frequency of hypoglycemic episodes showed that high frequency of hypoglycemic events was associated with increases in mean IMT-CCA, and left max-IMT-CCA and right max-IMT-CCA. In addition, repetitive episodes of hypoglycemia were associated with a reduction in the beneficial effects of sitagliptin on carotid IMT. Our data suggest that frequency of hypoglycemic episodes was associated with changes in carotid atherosclerosis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Carotid Artery Diseases / complications
  • Carotid Artery Diseases / physiopathology*
  • Carotid Artery, Common / physiopathology
  • Carotid Intima-Media Thickness
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / complications
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / drug therapy*
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemia / complications
  • Hypoglycemia / pathology*
  • Hypoglycemic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Insulins / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Sitagliptin Phosphate / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Insulins
  • Sitagliptin Phosphate