Application value of the pulse wave velocity in the quantitative detection of carotid elastic function in patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with fatty liver

ObjectiveTo explore the application value of the pulse wave velocity in the quantitative detection of carotid elasticity in patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with fatty liver.

MethodsSixty patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM) combined with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) were divided into the mild fatty liver group(group A), moderate fatty liver group(group B) and severe fatty liver group(group C) according to the severity of fatty liver(20 cases in each group).The intima-medium thickness(IMT) and pulse wave velocity at the beginning of systole(PWVBS) and pulse wave velocity at the ending of systole(PWVES) at the end of the systole were quantitatively measured using ultrafast pulse wave velocity(UFPWV), and compared with 20 patients with T2DM (T2DM group) during the same period.The results of UFPWV measurement in four groups were compared.The carotid artery elasticity function was compared among four groups.The correlations of IMT, PWVBS and PWVES with fatty liver grading in patients with T2DM combined with NAFLD were analyzed using Spearman correlation coefficient.

ResultsThe IMT, PWVBS and PWVES values in patients with T2DM complicated with NAFLD were higher than those in T2DM group, and the differences of which was statistically significant(P < 0.01).The values of IMT, PWVBS and PWVES in group C were significantly higher than those in group A and group B, and which in group B was higher than that in group A(P < 0.01).The results of Spearman correlation analysis showed that the fatty liver index was positively correlated with the IMT, PWVBS and PWVES(r=0.608, 0.668, 0.765, P < 0.01).The results of ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve(AUC) of PWVBS and PWVES in diagnosing carotid arteriosclerosis were 0.868(95% CI：0.809-0.926) and 0.844(95%CI：0.781-0.906), respectively, and the diagnostic efficacy of which was high(AUC >0.5).

ConclusionsThe carotid artery elasticity in patients with diabetes mellitus complicated with fatty liver is lower than that in patients with diabetesmellitus.The UFPWV technology can quickly measure and accurately calculate the IMT, PWVBS and PWVES of carotid, the result of which is objective, highly reproducible and easy to operate, which is worthy of clinical evaluation.