Cardiovascular risk in youth with type 1 diabetes mainly due to insulin resistance
Wednesday, 13. June 2012
Type 1 diabetes often begins in childhood. Patients with type 2 diabetes have insulin resistance measured their routine, but is not currently a common practice in the treatment of patients with type 1 diabetes – especially those of normal weight. Since insulin resistance is known to contribute to cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetes in this study researchers examined whether insulin resistance has a similar effect on adolescents with type 1 diabetes.Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death among adults with diabetes, but until now little was known about the effects of type 1 diabetes on cardiovascular health in young people, said Kristen Nadeau, MD, University of Colorado at Denver and author of the study. Our data suggest that while young people with type 1 diabetes may not present conditions typical of insulin resistance such as obesity, insulin resistance is present and can influence long-term cardiovascular outcomes in this population.
In this study, the researchers measured insulin sensitivity and function of the heart, blood, and 12 adolescents with type 1 diabetes and compared these measures with the controls of 12 patients without diabetes, but similar in age, pubertal status, activity level and body mass index. They found that insulin resistance may affect long-term cardiovascular outcomes in type 1 diabetes is found in people with type 2 diabetes. In particular, the results indicate that insulin resistance is directly related to decreased heart and vessel function and appears to impair the ability to exercise.
A new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Endocrine Society of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism , youth with type 1 diabetes were found to have abnormal insulin resistance.
With abnormal insulin resistance appears to adversely affect the heart, blood vessels and exercise the function of this population.