Intensive Diabetes Therapy Reduces Risk of Peripheral Artery Disease

Compared to conventional treatment, intensive treatment of diabetes is associated with a reduced rate of peripheral arterial calcification, according to researchers.

Dr. Rickey E. Carter of the University of South Carolina, Charleston and colleagues note that an earlier analysis of results from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial showed that intensive glycemic control had a beneficial effect on coronary artery calcification.

In the current study, reported in the October issue of Diabetes Care, the researchers examined data on almost 1400 of these subjects who were followed over the course of 12 years.

Of this group, 45.6% developed a low ankle-brachial pressure index (ABI), an indicator of atherosclerosis or occlusion, and 16.7% had clinically relevant occlusion. Prior intensive diabetes treatment had no effect on this outcome.

However, 15.4% of the patients developed arterial calcification as indicated by an elevated ABI. Prior intensive treatment was protective (hazard ratio, 0.72). Moreover, this continued to be true after adjustment for a variety of risk factors.

The researchers call for more extensive investigation, but conclude that the “study’s results provide further support for the use of intensive glycemic control to improve peripheral vascular health.”
Diabetes Care 2007;30:2646-2648.