Heart Scan May Be Lifesaver for Diabetics

Researchers have found that a fast heart scan using electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) can identify type 1 diabetic patients at high risk for heart disease. Early identification is important, since type 1 diabetics develop heart disease at more than five times the rate of the general population, making it the leading cause of death among these patients. The study, published in the September issue of Diabetes, was conducted by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health (GSPH) and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC, PA, USA). The study used data from the Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications Study, an ongoing 10-year prospective study of risk factors for complications of type 1 diabetes.

The EBCT scan measures calcium buildup in the arteries leading to the heart. This buildup is a sign that blockages are developing in the coronary arteries, which may eventually lead to angina and a heart attack. More than 300 participants, all diagnosed as diabetics as children, had the EBCT scan. The researchers then compared their resulting calcium scores with other risk factors and their history of heart disease.

Because patients with Type 1 diabetes might develop extra calcium in their arteries that is not related to atherosclerosis, we were uncertain how well the test would identify subclinical heart disease in these patients, said lead author Jon Olson, Ph.D., of the GSPH. However, we found a strong association between high calcium scores and heart disease, and also between high calcium scores and the standard risk factors.

The researchers say this is the first study to report the use of EBCT to identify diabetics at high risk of heart disease. They plant to continue monitoring the study participants for further signs of heart disease, to determine if the EBCT predicts better than the standard risk factors.