Longer diabetes duration associated with a higher severity of coronary artery disease

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12 June 2005 - 00.05 BST (London)
12 June 2005 - 01.05 CEST (Paris)

Scientists in Korea have evaluated the relationship between diabetes duration and the prevalence, extent, and severity of CAD by coronary computed technology angiography (CCTA), as well as the association with long-term clinical outcomes in asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients. 933 type 2 diabetic patients showing no symptoms and who were over the age of 30 were assessed between January 2006 and December 2010 in Seoul St Mary’s Hospital, Korea and St Vincent’s Hospital in Suwon, Korea.

Obstructive CAD was detected in 374 of the 933 patients (40.1%). The extent and severity of CAD burden were measured by several coronary CT angiographic scores. Patients with diabetes for more than 10 years had significantly elevated scores. Higher rates of obstructive two-vessel disease and three-vessel disease were found in patients who had long-standing diabetes. These patients were found to be older, more likely to be hypertensive, and less likely to be obese.

Kiyuk Chang, the lead author of the paper, commented that, “our study advances the mechanistic understanding of prior pivotal studies and suggests a prognostic importance of CAD extent and severity by CCTA to identify asymptomatic diabetic individuals who have greater cardiovascular risk.”
Major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events also occurred 61 times in a follow-up period, indicating that patients with longer duration of diabetes were at higher risk of MACCE compared with those with shorter diabetes duration. This is the first study of its kind to examine the impact of diabetes duration on CAD extent and severity and its effect on downstream MACCE in asymptomatic diabetic patients free of prior known CAD.

ENDS