Different
Risk Factors Differentially Affect Vascular Complications of Diabetes
Elevated
blood pressure and increased glucose levels are risk factors for the
microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes. In contrast, blood
pressure, but not glucose levels, appears to influence the risk of
macrovascular complications.
That
from the Findings from a longitudinal study conducted in Poland
indicate that Previous studies have yielded conflicting results
regarding the impact of glucose levels on the risk of macrovascular
complications, according to the report published in the July/August
issue of the Journal of Diabetes and Its Complications.
To
clarify the risk factors for vascular complications, Dr. Wladyslaw
Grzeszczak and colleagues, from Diabetes and Nephrology in Zabrze,
Poland, analyzed the medical records of all patients with newly
diagnosed type 2 diabetes who presented to a diabetes clinic between
1980 and 1994. A total of 2175 patients were identified.
The
researchers found that the risk of developing nephropathy and
proliferative retinopathy increased as fasting plasma glucose and mean
blood pressure increased. In addition, blood pressure, but not glucose
level, was directly related to the risk of stroke and cardiovascular
disease. High cholesterol levels were found to increase the risk of
coronary artery disease and proliferative retinopathy.
Similar
findings have been reported previously, the authors note. "The
main advantage of our study was its longitudinal design," they
point out. "Contrary to previously reported cross-sectional
studies, the outcome occurred after the measurement of independent
variables and not at the same time." J
Diabetes Complications 2002;16:271-276.
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