Determinants of atherosclerosis in children and adolescents with diabetes type 1

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the degree of atherosclerosis in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and its correlation with risk factors,
traditional and other, such as anti-oxidative capacity of circulating blood and level of lipid peroxidation.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Forty children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes with mean age 13.7 years were compared with 20 age- and
sex-matched healthy control subjects. Association of carotid artery intima-media thickness (cIMT) with different risk factors measured in
children with type 1 diabetes was evaluated.

RESULTS: Mean carotid IMT was higher in subjects with diabetes (p < 0.01) and was strongly associated with total cholesterol with an odds
ratio of 4.08 (p = 0.016), LDL-cholesterol with an odds ratio of 2.78 (p = 0.037), length of disease with an odds ratio of 1.87 (p = 0.007)
and positive family history (first- and second-degree relatives) of diabetes and early CVD (heart attack and/or stroke before the age of 60
years) with an odds ratio of 6.8 (p = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS: We found significantly increased cIMT in the diabetic patients compared to the healthy control subjects. Risk factors for
the development of atherosclerosis included higher total and LDL-cholesterol, higher systolic blood pressure, positive family history of
diabetes and early CVD and longer diabetes duration. In spite of the documented increased oxidative stress, we failed to establish a correlation
between the oxidative stress parameters and cIMT values. (Endokrynol Pol 2012; 63 (6): 414–419)