[The correlation between pulse wave velocity and diabetic angiopathy]

Pulse wave velocity (PWV) of the aorta was measured in 40 patients with diabetes mellitus, in order to study the relation between PWV and diabetic angiopathy. The PWV was significantly faster in diabetic patients on oral hypoglycemic agents than in those on diet alone or on insulin. The PWV correlated significantly and positively with age, systolic blood pressure and urinary albumin index. The PWV significantly faster in diabetics with microalbuminuria than in those without this findings. It was concluded that PWV in addition to known risk factors such as elevated blood pressure, atherogenic abnormalities of plasma lipids and lipoproteins, and elevated blood glucose, may be a reliable index of diabetic micro- and macroangiopathy.