Alcohol flushing is independently associated with lesser degree of carotid atherosclerosis in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients

Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis. Intima media thickness (IMT) of the carotid arteries has been widely used for assessing atherosclerotic changes representing cerebro-cardiovascular disease risk. Previous studies have associated the presence of inactive aldehyde dehydrogenase with progression of atherosclerosis and alcohol flushing. However, reports conflict on whether alcohol flushing could potentially modify the degree of atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients.