Impact of increasing diabetes on coronary artery disease in the past decade

We studied the coronary risk factors of hospitalized patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) in the Department of Cardiovascular Internal Medicine of Kobe University Hospital in 1993, 1996, 1999 and 2003, and examined trends in the factors over the past decade. The prevalences of diabetes mellitus (DM) (24.7%, 33.6%, 41.1% and 44.7%, respectively) and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (5.9%, 8.0%, 9.3% and 11.0%, respectively) steadily increased, whereas dyslipidemia (high total cholesterolemia, high triglyceridemia, or low high-density lipoproteinemia) and hypertension remained unchanged. We also revealed an increase in hemoglobin A1c levels (5.8%, 5.9%, 6.2% and 6.4%, respectively), in contrast to modest improvements in lipid levels and blood pressure levels. Additionally, patients with multi-vessel disease (MVD, stenosis in more than two major coronary vessels) significantly increased from 44.7% in 1993 to 58.8% in 2003 (p < 0.01). In 1993, DM and dyslipidemia were significant predictors for MVD (Odds Ratio: 2.72 and 2.68, respectively). On the other hand, in 2003, the significant predictor for MVD shifted to DM alone (Odds Ratio: 2.38). In conclusion, the prevalence rate of DM among CAD patients significantly increased in this decade, and the consequent increase in the prevalence of MVD should be recognized as the most important problem clinically.