Carotid Arterial Remodeling

Abstract
Background and Purpose— Deteriorating glucose tolerance is associated with an increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. The underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Arterial remodeling is the change in structural properties through time in response to atherogenic and/or hemodynamic alterations and aims to maintain circumferential wall stress constant (σC). Arterial remodeling has not been studied in relation to glucose tolerance. Methods— The study population consisted of 278 people with normal glucose metabolism, 168 with impaired glucose metabolism, and 301 with type 2 diabetes (DM-2); their mean age was 67.8 years. We assessed carotid intima-media thickness (IMT), interadventitial diameter (IAD), lumen diameter (LD), and σC. Results— After adjustment for age, sex, height, body mass index, and prior CVD, DM-2 was associated with increased IAD, IMT, and σC but not LD (regression coefficients: 0.24 mm; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.07 to 0.41; 0.050 mm; 95% CI, 0.024 to 0.077; 5.00 kPa; 95% CI, 0.92 to ...