Endothelial dysfunction present in preadolescents with type 1 diabetes

Preadolescents with type 1 diabetes may have endothelial dysfunction and systemic inflammation, precursors of future cardiovascular risk, new findings suggest.

In a study published online in Diabetes Care, investigators evaluated the prevalence of endothelial dysfunction as measured by flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) of the brachial artery and carotid intima-media thickness (c-IMT) in relation to inflammatory biomarkers in 21 children with type 1 diabetes and 15 healthy siblings. The mean age of the children with diabetes was 8.3 years, and mean duration of diabetes was 4.3 years.

Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), lipid profile, glycated hemoglobin (HbA_1c), high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen, homocysteine, and erythrocyte (red blood cell [RBC]) folate were assessed in all participants, and c-IMT and brachial artery FMD percentage were measured using high-resolution vascular ultrasound.

Compared with controls, children with diabetes had significantly higher levels of FPG, HbA_1c, and hs-CRP, a marker of systemic inflammation. No significant differences were found in body mass index, homocysteine and fibrinogen levels, or RBC folate content. The FMD percentage was lower in children with type 1 diabetes, indicating less distensibility of the blood vessels, but c-IMT did not differ significantly between groups.

Babar GS, Zidan H, Widlansky ME, et al. Impaired endothelial function in preadolescent children with type 1 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2011. Epub ahead of print.