Pulsatility index of temporal and renal arteries as an early finding of arteriopathy in diabetic patients.

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between alterations in the elasticity of the temporal and the renal arteries and the grade of arteriopathy, using the pulsatility index in type II diabetic patients and healthy volunteers. All individuals were divided into groups. Group A consisted of 15 patients without risk factors (hyperlipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and smoking) and had well-controlled diabetes mellitus as demonstrated by normal values of HbA1c. Group B had 20 patients with two risk factors (hyperlipidemia and hypertension) and normal HbA1c. Group C (25 patients) had four risk factors and high values of HbA1c, and group D consisted of 20 healthy individuals. All patients were examined by use of color Doppler ultrasonography. Pulsatility index values were measured in the temporal and renal arteries. Pulsatility indices of temporal arteries were higher in group C than in groups A and B, whereas for the renal arteries, no significant difference was detected between the four groups. In our study there seems to be strong correlation between increased values of pulsatility index, mainly in the temporal arteries, and grade of arteriopathy in type II diabetic patients.