The Effect of Age and Lipid Profiles on Peripheral Vascular Disease in a Cohort of Diabetic Patients

Abstract

Background: Vascular disease carries the maximum mortality and morbidity burden in diabetic patients.
Peripheral vascular disease is generally considered to be similar in its etiology and pathology to vascular
disease in other tissue fields and its risk factors are also believed to be a part of larger atherogenic vascular
picture.
Methods: The study was conducted on a cohort of individuals suffering from Diabetes Mellitus registered at
the “The Diabetes Management Center”. A total of 1160 cases were selected on the basis of presence or
absence of peripheral artery disease with an aim to study the prevalence of peripheral vascular disease in
diabetic and ascertain if total cholesterol, age and duration of diabetes play a role in the development of
peripheral vascular disease.
Results: Our study showed that presence of peripheral vascular disease in diabetics is significantly
associated with increased age, increased duration of diabetes, history of intermittent claudication, delayed
wound healing and increased area of skin ulcers. There is no significant difference in total cholesterol level,
LDL, HDL, and triglyceride levels amongst those diabetics that developed PVD than those who did not. The
role of genetic susceptibilities leading to altered metabolism with due contribution by environmental factors
may come to light by further analysis of other variables involved in artery disease picture.
Conclusion: Presence of peripheral vascular disease in diabetics is significantly associated with
increased age, increased duration of diabetes and history of intermittent claudication, delayed wound
healing and increased area of skin ulcers. There is no significant difference in total cholesterol level, LDL,
HDL, and triglyceride levels amongst those diabetics that developed PVD than those who did not.