Ultrasonic Evaluation of Early Atherosclerosis in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

OBJECTIVE: To assess early atherosclerosis using B-mode imaging of the carotid artery in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and to evaluate the relationship between various risk factors and intimal plus medial thickness (IMT) in this population. METHODS: Fifty-two children and adolescents (aged 3-18 years) with uncomplicated T1DM and 43 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were examined. B-mode imaging was used to determine the intimal plus medial thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery in all subjects. Patients with T1DM and control subjects were divided into two groups according to age and gender. Furthermore, duration of DM was considered for comparison. RESULTS: Patients and control subjects showed no association between IMT and sex, systolic blood pressure (sBP), diastolic blood pressure (dBP), serum lipid levels or left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). However, statistical analysis indicated a good correlation between age and carotid arterial wall thickness in both diabetic and control groups. These findings were consistent with those in the literature. No correlation was found between IMT and the duration of DM. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that there is no association between T1DM and IMT in children and adolescents with T1DM.