A short-term admission improved brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity in type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract Brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) is a non-invasive method for assessing arterial stiffness associated with atherosclerosis. We examined whether baPWV could improve during a 2-week hospital-based education program in patients with type 2 diabetes and whether improvement associates with changes in known atherogenic risk factors. Body mass index (BMI), blood pressure (BP), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin, lipid profiles and baPWV were measured in 32 type 2 diabetic patients before and after an educational program that included advice about nutrition and exercise. Relationship between the changes in baPWV and additional parameters, 24 h-urinary excretion of C-peptide, visceral and subcutaneous fat area by abdominal computer tomography and intima-medial thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery by ultrasonography, were also evaluated. Baseline values of baPWV significantly correlated with age, duration of diabetes, BP, IMT and FPG. BaPWV significantly decreased after the program (−120 ± 108.4 cm/s, P r  = 0.697, P r  = 0.452, P