Objective: To assess the occurrence and development of new peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), its risk factors, and the outcome in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Research design and methods: A total of 130 type 2 diabetic patients (mean age 58 years) were examined at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 11 years (range 7-14). The ankle-brachial index (ABI) and toe-brachial index were used to detect PAOD. Blood and urine samples were taken at baseline, and a history of cardiovascular events was recorded during follow-up.
Results: PAOD was diagnosed in 21 (16%) patients at baseline. During follow-up, 21 of 89 (24%) patients developed new PAOD. There were 29 patients who died, 21 (72%) of them from cardiovascular disease. Patients with PAOD suffered an excess mortality compared with patients without PAOD (58 vs. 16%; P < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed that PAOD at baseline was associated with age, duration of diabetes, smoking, and urinary albumin excretion rate. Patients who developed new PAOD during follow-up had higher serum LDL cholesterol concentrations and lower HDL cholesterol concentrations and were older than the patients who remained free of PAOD.
Conclusions: Objectively measured PAOD is frequent in type 2 diabetic patients. It presents the early clinical signs of atherosclerosis and is strongly associated with cardiovascular death. The risk factor pattern for PAOD was different at baseline and after a mean follow-up of 11 years. We consider routine ABI measurements and modification of risk factors necessary also in patients with asymptomatic PAOD.