A comparison of intima-media thickness of common carotid artery in diabetic and non-diabetic patients who refer to the Radiology Department of Poursina Hospital in Rasht City in 2008

Background Diabetes mellitus is a common disease. Vascular complication of that can affect carotid artery with formation of atherosclerosis. Aims As in Iran the ages of diagnosis is higher than in the rest of the world the complications are seen more. So screening of diabetic patients for decreasing the mortality and morbidity seems to be mandatory. The aim of this study is to compare the IMT of common carotid artery in diabetic and non-diabetic patients who refer to the Radiology Department of Poursina hospital in 2008. Material and method This is a cross-sectional study. There are 80 participants (40 diabetic, 40 non-diabetic) in our study which is matched for age and gender. IMT of distal carotid was measured. t -Test and ANCOVA were used to data analysis. Results Diabetic patients had significantly higher IMT than non-diabetic (0/97 vs 0/63) (CI95%:−0/2 to −0/47, p -value p -value p -value p -value p -value 0/027 and 0/019, respectively). Other confounding variables such as cigarette smoking, HTN and HLP were not significantly associated with increasing IMT in diabetic patients. Conclusion Measuring of IMT of carotid artery by sonography is a useful tool for screening of diabetic patients. It needs more study for determining how to use these measurements in promoting the patients outcomes.