Change in Aortic Stiffness and Distensibility in Patients with Diabetic Coronary Artery Disease: Effect of Glycerol Trinitrate

Diabetes mellitus is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease and aortic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to determine the changes in the aortic elastic properties in patients (pts) with diabetic coronary artery disease and to search the effect glycerol trinitrate (GT).
METHOD
Patients with coronary artery disease were allocated into two groups. Study group (SG) consisted of 17 pts ( 13 women 4 men; mean age 58.4±9.4 years) with diabetes mellitus, and the control group (CG) 20 pts (14 women, mean age 56.0±10.7 years) without diabetes mellitus. Aortic systolic and di astolic dameter indexes and aortic distensibility and stiffness index were measured before and after 200 pg GT (i ntravenously) by transthorasic echocardiography.
RESULTS
There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups before GT with regard to age, sex, smoking, systolic and diastolic blood pressures, aortic systolic and diastolic diameter indexes. Aortic distensibility was found to be lower and stiffness index was found to be higher in SG (for the distensibility 0.0015± 0.0005 vs 0.0026±0.0007 mmHg-1, pCONCLUSION
Aortic distensibility is lower and stiffness index is higher in coronary artery pts with diabetes mellitus than without diabetes mellitus. Glycerol trinitrate induced s ignificant increase in aortic distensibility and decrease in aortic stiffness index in both groups. lmprovement in aortic functions after GT was higher nominally in the diabetic group.