Arterial compliance is increased in children with type 2 diabetes compared with normal weight peers but not obese peers

BACKGROUND: We reported that obesity was associated with increased arterial compliance in children, possibly due to accelerated vascular maturation. Here, we explored the additional burden of type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on vascular function in children. METHODS: Fifty normal weight [body mass index (BMI) 25-75%], 58 obese (BMI ≥ 95%), and 34 children with T2DM diagnosed by American Diabetes Association (ADA) criteria ages 10-18 yr were studied. Large and small artery elasticity (LAEI and SAEI, respectively) were measured by diastolic pulse-wave contour analysis. RESULTS: SAEI was 27% higher in children with T2DM compared to normal weight children (p = 0.005). Mean LAEI for those with T2DM not different from either group. In the group with T2DM, both SAEI and LAEI increased with age up to 16 yr, but declined thereafter. The strongest multivariable model predicting SAEI in children with T2DM combined lean mass, systolic blood pressure (SBP), and glucose (r2 = 0.59); for predicting LAEI, the strongest model included height, SBP, and low-density lipid-cholesterol (r2 = 0.61). CONCLUSION: The lower arterial compliance in older adolescents with T2DM compared to that of their peers without diabetes may indicate a premature maturation of the vascular system; however, follow-up will clarify whether these vascular changes portend an early increase in diabetes-associated cardiovascular disease risk.