Zhan Wei-Wei, Chen Yu-Hong, Zhang Yi-Fei, Zhu Ying, Lin Yan-Yan, Ren Xin-Ping, Li Xiao-Ying, Liu Yan-Ping
Department of Ultrasonography, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University Medical School, Shanghai 200025, People's Republic of China.
Endocrine. 2009 Jun;35(3):409-13. doi: 10.1007/s12020-009-9172-4. Epub 2009 Apr 15.
Microalbuminuria is associated with higher cardiovascular mortality, especially in diabetics. But the direct association between microalbuminuria and vascular wall properties is still not clear. We investigated quantitative carotid stiffness (QCS) index in relation to microalbuminuria in 260 Chinese diabetic patients. In categorical analyses, patients with elevated urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uACR) had higher QCS than those with normal uACR (P < 0.001). The corresponding values for QCS values were 4.4 and 5.9, respectively. In multiple stepwise regression analyses, QCS was significantly associated with age, uACR, plasma glycosylated hemoglobin A(1C) (HbA(1C)), and current smoking (P < 0.05 for all). In conclusion, carotid stiffness as measured by QCS, a local functional measurement of the arterial wall, is increased in type 2 diabetes with microalbuminuria.
