Simultaneous assessment of vascular distensibility and vessel wall area at coronary, carotid, and aortic level in diabetic patients using CMR: detection of vascular remodeling.

Aims: No data is available about the significance of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) derived vascular distensibility (VD) and vessel wall ratio (VWR) for risk stratification in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of T2DM on VD and VWR using CMR in both central and peripheral territories.

Methods: Thirty-one T2DM-patients and nine controls underwent CMR. Angulation of the aorta, the common carotid, and the coronary arteries was performed to obtain cross-sectional vessel areas.

Results: In T2DM the Carotid-VWR and the Aortic-VWR correlated significantly. Mean values of Carotid-VWR and Aortic-VWR were significantly higher in T2DM than in controls. Coronary-VD was significantly lower in T2DM than in controls. No significant difference in Carotid-VD or Aortic-VD in T2DM vs. controls, respectively, could be observed. In a subgroup of thirteen T2DM patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), Coronary-VD was significantly lower and Aortic-VWR was significantly higher compared to T2DM patients without CAD.

Conclusion: CMR allows a simultaneous evaluation of the structure and function of three important vascular territories to detect vascular remodeling in T2DM.