Peripheral vascular disease in newly diagnosed non-insulin-dependent diabetic

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of peripheral vascular disease (PVD) in newly diagnosed diabetic patients and the possible relationship to various risk factors. One hundred and twenty non-insulin-dependent diabetics (NIDDs) aged 50-70 years and 93 non-diabetic subjects, matched for age and sex, were studied using Doppler ultrasound. None had a history of alcoholic abuse, while 12 diabetic and 8 non-diabetic subjects were smokers. There were 6 male subjects with PVD (5 NIDDs, 1 control subject) and 2 female diabetic subjects with PVD (p: No SD). In group of male diabetics with PVD, HDL-C levels were found to be lower and triglyceride levels higher, than in those without diabetes, but the difference was not significant. Hypertension, body mass index and smoking were not associated with the presence of PVD in either female or male diabetic subjects. It is concluded that, although PVD tended to be more common in men with newly diagnosed diabetes, the overall findings support the view that macrovascular disease is related to duration of diabetes.