Abstract
BACKGROUND: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) objectively assesses the lower extremity arterial perfusion. A low ABI suggests atherosclerosis and Peripheral Arterial Disease (PAD). PAD is more common in individuals with type2 Diabetes mellitus (Type2 DM). Inflammatory markers are found to be associated with Type2 DM. But the association of the inflammatory markers with the atherosclerotic burden remains poorly defined. AIMS: To compare the ABI and the hsCRP in the Type 2 DM patients with those in the normal subjects and to study the association of serum hsCRP with ABI in the Type 2 DM patients and in normal subjects. METHODS: The subjects were 40 Type2 DM and 40 age, sex and BMI matched normal subjects who were aged between 45-60 yrs. The subjects were assigned to two different groups, Group1- the Type2 DM patients and Group2- the healthy controls. The serum hsCRP levels were determined by the turbidimetry method (BIOSYSTEMS) and the ABI values were determined by using the traditional continuous wave (CW) Doppler of NICOLET VERSALAB. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The data was analyzed by using the Student's t test (two tailed; independent) to find the significance of the study parameters between the two groups. Pearson's Correlation was used to find the correlation of serum hsCRP with the ABI in the two groups. RESULTS: The ABI showed a significantly low value (P=0.035*) and the serum hsCRP showed a trend towards a significant increase (p = 0.069+) in the type2diabetics as compared to those in the normals. There was a significant negative correlation between ABI and hsCRP in the Type 2 DM patients (r=-0.560, p<0.001**). However, such correlation was not observed in the normal subjects. CONCLUSION: As serum hsCRP is associated with ABI in the type2 DM patients, inflammation may play a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.