A new study shows that a common computed tomography (CT) scan could predict the deaths of those suffering from diabetes.
“People with diabetes are already at high risk of developing heart disease and experiencing an early death. With this study, we’ve discovered that we can identify a subset of individuals within this high risk group who are at even higher risk, and the means to do this is already widely available in the form of a computed tomography (CT) scan – a relatively inexpensive and non-invasive test,” says Dr. Donald W. Bowden, Ph.D., the director of the Center for Diabetes Research at Wake Forest Baptist and lead investigator.
Bowden and colleagues became interested in developing tests that predicted death when examining results from another concurrent study. In the Diabetes Heart Study, scientists followed 1500 participants for 13 years in North Carolina. The scientists were surprised to find that so many of the original participants died and set out to find the reasoning behind these events.
Coronary heart disease is a common complication for those with diabetes. A coronary artery calcium (CAC) score is an effective method to diagnose this disease. Bowden and colleagues divided groups of 1000 individuals into three groups, separated by the severity of the CAC level. They then followed the group around for 7.4 years and were surprised at the findings. The scientists found that the highest CAC score correlated to a higher risk of dying. This group was 6 times more likely to die than the other groups.
Bowden says, “The striking magnitude of the risk suggests very strongly that other research samples should be evaluated, especially in individuals with diabetes.”
Resource News Press Release by Eurekaalert.org
Comments