Object: There are very few studies that evaluate the influence of obesity and weight variations on change in ankle-brachial index (ABI) in subjects with type 2 diabetes (T2D) but without peripheral artery disease (PAD).

Methods: In this case-control study, T2D subjects who were without baseline PAD (0.9 ≤ ABI < 1.4), and received minimum 2-year interval ABI exams were included. Subjects with prior diagnosed or treated PAD were excluded. Baseline body mass index (BMI) of all subjects was categorized as normal weight (< 23 kg/m2), overweight (23∼25 kg/m2), and obesity (≥ 25 kg/m2). Weight changes during follow-up were categorized by the percentage of weight change; weight loss (< -3%), stable (-3∼3%), gain (> 3%). Subjects with ABI decline were defined as one or both legs worsened to the abnormal (ABI < 0.9) at follow-up exam.

Results: A total of 575 subjects were analyzed (188 normal, 140 overweight, and 245 obesity). During the median 2.9 years of follow-up period, 122 (21.2%) subjects showed ABI decline. When split by category of BMI and weight change, the incidence rate of ABI decline showed stepwise increasing pattern according to the obesity and weight gain. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that baseline obesity (vs. normal) was significantly associated with the risk of developing ABI decline after adjusting for age, sex, smoking, diabetes duration, mean HbA1c, GFR, LDL cholesterol, blood pressure, hypertensive medication, insulin use, statin use, antiplatelet use, and weight change (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.22 - 3.49). On the contrary, weight loss was significantly associated with reduction in risk of developing ABI decline (OR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.31 - 0.86).

Conclusion: Obesity is an independent risk factor for developing ABI decline in T2D subjects without PAD, whereas weight loss is an independent protective factor. Weight loss should be emphasized especially in obese subjects with T2D.

Disclosure

Y. Yang: None. J. Lim: None. E. Lee: None. K. Yoon: Advisory Panel; Self; AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novo Nordisk Inc. Speaker's Bureau; Self; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. B. Cha: None. S. Lee: None. Y. Cho: None.

© 2019 by the American Diabetes Association.
2019
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