Abstract Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) in Chinese woman with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods: We identified 1148 diabetes patients between 1 November 2017 and 1 November 2019 from Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital. 407 women over were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. BaPWV was assessed as a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis. According to baPWV values, arteriosclerosis (AS) was set as 3 degrees: mild AS (baPWV ≥ 1400 cm/s), moderate AS (baPWV ≥ 1700 cm/s) and severe AS (baPWV ≥ 2000 cm/s). The multivariate linear regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between BMI and baPWV.

Results: Compared with the mild AS group, BMI was significantly lower in the moderate AS and severe AS groups (25.63±4.15 kg/m2 vs. 24.59±4.12 kg/m2 p=0.030; 25.63±4.15 kg/m2 vs. 24.49±3.60 kg/m2 p=0.025) There were no statistical difference between the moderate AS and the severe AS groups (p=0.838). BMI was significantly negatively associated with baPWV (r=-0.118, P=0.018). The associations were still significant after age and blood pressure adjustment (r=-0.160, P=0.001). Using multiple linear regression, BMI was negatively associated with baPWV (β=-0.152, P=0.001).

Conclusion: Arterial stiffness, as measured by baPWV, is lower in overweight and obesity Chinese woman with type 2 diabetes. High BMI was found to be a protective factor for AS. These findings may contribute to the explanation of the “obesity paradox” in T2DM.

Disclosure

Y. Chen: None. B. Ma: None. S. Qu: None. X. Wang: None. D. Wei: None.

Funding

Cheng du Committee of Health, China (20PJ201)

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