Long Term Vascular Changes in Type 1 Diabetes

Long Term Vascular Changes in Type 1 Diabetes, Clinical Aspects and Biological Markers

The main purpose of this study is to investigate progression of late complications of diabetes during the last ten years in a well characterized cohort of type 1 diabetes with a long duration of the disease, and to define factors responsible for the progression of late complications.

Despite intensively research in the field of hyperglycaemia and coronary heart disease in type 1 diabetes it is still not known in detail how hyperglycaemia leads to damage of the vessels.

The aims of the present proposal are therefore two-fold:

1. To study in detail the progression of atherosclerosis (and micro vascular complications) in a well characterized cohort of type 1 diabetes with a long duration of the disease. This project will be a continuation of the Oslo study, a cohort started in 1982, with the last follow-up study in 1999/2000.
2. To define factors responsible for the progression of coronary heart disease (and micro vascular complications) in this cohort.

The original criteria from 1982:

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18-45 years
• Diagnosis of type 1 diabetes at < 30 years of age, disease duration > 7 but < 30 years
• C-peptide < 0, 1 nmol/l

Exclusion Criteria:

• Serum creatinine > 150 µmol/l
• Diastolic blood pressure <100mmHg
• Overt nephropathy
• Proliferative retinopathy
• Pregnancy
• A history of neuropathy
• Other chronical disease
• Treatment with other drugs except insulin and oral contraceptives