The coronary artery disease in diabetics and non-diabetics: A clinical and coronary angiographic comparison

Chung, Su Ryoung; Kim, Doo Il; Kim, Dong Soo; Cho, Kyoung Im; Kim, Dae Kyeong; Lee, Won Dong; Lee, Jae Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is independent risk factor for the development and the extent of coronary artery disease, and increase the morbidity and the mortality of rdiovascular disease. But there is a debate concerning about the severity, distribution, length, number of coronary artery stenosis in diabetes.
METHODS
We retrospectively reviewed clinical and coronary angiographic findings to access the prevalence and length of proximal, middle, distal coronary atherosclerotic lesions, and the relationship between coronary artery stenosis and coronary risk factors of coronany artery disease in 39 diabetics and 39 non-diabetics diagnosed at the Paik Hospital from January, 2002 to June, 2002.
RESULTS
The mean age of the patients, gender ratio, smoking history, history of hypertension, family history of coronary artery disease were not different between diabetics and non-diabetics, and the level of total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-Cholesterol showed no significant difference between diabetics and non-diabetics. However, HDL-Cholesterol levels were significantly higher in diabetics (p<0.0.5). Diabetic patients had a significantly greater frequency of severe stenosis (>50% narrowing) in the distal portion of left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery (p<0.05), but there were no significant differences in proximal, middle portion of left anterior descending artery and left circumflex artery, and all portion of right coronary artery. Also, they had a significantly greater frequency of severe diffuse stenosis (>50% narrowing, >2cm in length) in the middle portion of left anterior descending artery, and distal portion of left circumflex artery (p<0.05). However, no significant differences exist in proximal and distal portion of left anterior descending artery, proximal and middle portion of left circumflex artery, and all portion of right coronary artery. Three vessel disease was more common in diabetics compared to non-diabetics (p<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Diabetes mellitus is one of risk factors affecting the severity, distribution, length, number of coronary artery stenosis.