Endocrine Abstracts

Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is independently associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease caused mainly by early development of vascular changes leading to atherosclerosis. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is one of the common complications However, the exact correlation between glycemic control and the risk of developing CAD remains unclear. This study sought to assess the correlation of glycemic control and risk of developing CAD in South Indian population.

Methods: This retrospective analysis was conducted amongst 1888 patients with type 2 diabetes who visited a diabetes and cardiology care center in Tamil Nadu, India between January 2017 and December 2021. This study assessed glycemic and cardiometabolic parameters including HbA1c, blood pressure, lipid levels, electrocardiogram, and ECHO reports. The statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software and Chi-square test was used.

Results: The average age in the patient data analyzed was 62 years with an average duration of diabetes of 8.6 years. About 69% of the patients were male, while 31% were female. Among the analyzed patient cohort, 26% went on to be diagnosed with CAD within 24 months of their first visit. The average HbA1C at the time of diagnosis of T2DM was 8.3%, while that at the time of diagnosis of CAD was 9.2%. A positive correlation was found between poor glycemic control and the diagnosis of CAD within 24 months of the visit (P < 0.01). The mean blood pressure at the time of diagnosis of T2DM was 130/82 mm of Hg, while that at the time of diagnosis was 152/91 mm of Hg. Echo-cardiography revealed 38.9% had mild LV dysfunction, 16.29% had moderate LV dysfunction and 4% had severe LV dysfunction. Upon analyzing, it was found that 48% of the 491 diagnosed with CAD had triple vessel disease, while 31% had double vessel disease and 5% had total occlusion of coronary artery. The overall mortality in patients diagnosed with CAD was 2% at the time of reporting.

Conclusions: This analysis demonstrated a positive correlation between poor glycemic control and diagnosis of CAD. Tight glycemic control has the potential to prevent progression of cardiovascular disease among people with T2DM.