Metabolic profile and peripheral arterial disease associated symptoms in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study

Introduction: Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) is one of the most common macrovascular complications in
patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Previous international studies such as the UKPDS, ADVANCE,
and ACCORD trials demonstrated a strong association between poor glycaemic control, cardiovascular risk and
progression of vascular complications in patients with diabetes mellitus. Peripheral arterial disease is an
important marker for generalized atherosclerosis. Doppler ultrasonography is non-invasive method for
localization and assessment of the degree of stenosis or occlusion in the arteries that supply blood to the
extremities.
Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study included a total of 230 patients with
peripheral arterial disease, 200 with and 30 patients without T2DM treated at the Department of Internal
Diseases, Clinical Hospital Stip. The research design of this study is descriptive and correlational and the
obtained data are processed using the Python programming language for statistical analysis and data processing.
Diabetes duration, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycated
haemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were
analysed. The arithmetic mean, standard deviation, median, interquartile range, minimum and maximum value
were calculated for each laboratory parameter. Doppler ultrasonography was performed at every patient with
symptoms associated with PAD.
Results: The prevalence of peripheral arterial disease is higher in patients with diabetes and obesity, the duration
of diabetes is significant from the aspect of cumulative effect, smoking is an important modifying risk factor,
impaired lipid profile, especially increased triglycerides are closely related to increased fasting glycemia and
increased HBA1C in patients with peripheral arterial disease and T2DM.
Conclusion: Poor metabolic control is associated with increased PAD-related symptoms in patients with
T2DM. Early identification of vascular symptoms, doppler ultrasonography for screening and optimization of
glycaemic and lipid parameters may improve vascular outcomes.