ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between carotid artery elasticity, intima-media thickness and glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), and effects of combined hypoglycemic intervention.

MethodsA total of 312 patients with T2DM were divided into the observation group and control group according to random number table(156 cases in each group).The control group was treated with metformin, and the observation group was treated with metformin combined with saglitin.The blood glucose levelsincluding HbA1c, fasting plasma glucose(FPG), 2 h postprandial blood glucose(2hPG), carotid artery elasticity parametersincluding blood pressure strain-elastic coefficient(Ep), vascular compliance(AC), rigid coefficient(β), carotid intima-media thickness(CIMT) and medication safety were compared between two groups before and after treatment.In addition, 276 healthy people in the same period were investigated, the HbA1c level, carotid artery elasticity parameters and CIMT were compared between T2DM patients and healthy subjects, and the correlations between HbA1c level and Ep, AC, β, CIMT were analyzed.

ResultsThe HbA1c levels, Ep, β and CIMT in T2DM patients were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects(P < 0.01).The results of Spearman correlation analysis showed that Ep, β and CIMT were positively correlated with the HbA1c level(r=0.674, 0.652, 0.713, P < 0.05 to P < 0.01), while AC was not significantly correlated with HbA1c level(P>0.05).The differences of the levels of HbA1c, FPG and 2hPG between observation group and control group before treatment were not statistically significant(P>0.05).After treatment, the indexes decreased compared with before treatment, and which in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group(P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).The differences of the levels of Ep, β and CIMT between the observation group and control group before treatment were not statistically significant(P>0.05).After treatment, the levels of Ep, β and CIMT decreased compared with before treatment, and which in observation group was significantly lower than that in control group(P < 0.05 and P < 0.01).The incidence rate of adverse reactions in observation group and control group was 10.90% and 8.97%, respectively, and the difference of which was not statistically significant(P>0.05).

ConclusionsThe level of HbA1c is closely related to Ep, β and CIMT.The combined hypoglycemic intervention can significantly reduce the glucose levels.The medication is safe, and beneficial to reduce the risk of macrovascular disease.