Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) show a greater risk for coronary artery disease (CAD), but the risk stratification in asymptomatic CAD patients has not been established. This study investigated the prevalence and severity for asymptomatic CAD and predictors in T2DM patients.
Methods and results: In a multiclinic group, diabetic patients (320 men, 186 women) without known symptoms suggestive of CAD were recruited for multidetector computed tomography (MDCT). Patients were categorized according to severity of coronary atherosclerosis: Grade 1 (normal findings), Grade 2 (mild atherosclerosis without significant stenosis), Grade 3 (moderate stenosis/atherosclerosis, 50-74% stenosis), Grade 4 (moderate stenosis/atherosclerosis, 75-89% stenosis), Grade 5 (severe stenosis/atherosclerosis, ≥90% stenosis). The trend for severity grade of CAD was slightly higher in men than women (P=0.054). For critical lesions (combined Grades 3-5), the prevalence was almost equal (men 44% vs. women 37%; P=0.113). Multivariate models showed that in men, HbA1c≥7.4%, dyslipidemia, duration of diabetes, retinopathy, and other type of cardiovascular diseases were predictors of critical lesions and in women, duration of diabetes and retinopathy were predictors.
Conclusions: The prevalence and severity of asymptomatic CAD are comparably high in men and women with T2DM. Risk stratification by using MDCT might be useful to predict asymptomatic coronary lesions requiring coronary revascularization.