The Prevalence Of Vascular Lesions In The Lower Extremities And Their Risk Factors In Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Objective To investigate the prevalence of vascular disease in the lower extremities and its related risk factors in patients with type 2 diabetes . Methods 297 patients with type 2 diabetes in the First affiliated hospital of zhejiang University during the year of 2000 ~ 2002 were screened for peripheral vascular disease(PVD),and the related risk factors to PVD were analysed.Results Doppler Ultrasonic examination showed that 193 patients (64.98%) had different degrees of vascular lesions in the lower limbs in 297 diabetic patients. The prevalence of distal macroangiopathy in lower limbs was significantly higher than that of the proximal macroangiopathy. Age, durations of diabetes, 24 hours urinary albumin excretion, serum uric acid and creatinine levels were significantly higher in the diabetes with PVD than in those without PVD. Age, durations of diabetes, 24 hours urinary albumin excretion, hemoglobin Ale, serum uric acid and creatinine levels were significantly higher in male diabetic patients with PVD than in those without PVD. But only age and durations of diabetes were significantly higher in female diabeticpatients with PVD than in those without PVD. The existence of higher systolicblood pressure, diabetic peripheral neuropathy and coronary heart disease weresignificantly associated with PVD in both male and female patients. Age, T-chlevel, and diabetic peripheral neuropathy were independent risk factors for thevascular disease in the lower extremities.Conclusion The prevalence of vascular lesions in lower limbs were high intype 2 diabetes mellitus. These lesions could be found earlier with theultrasonic Doppler examination.