Transcranial Doppler Determination of Blood Flow Velocity of Middle Cerebral Artery in Diabetic Patients

Diabetes mellitus is one the most prevalent chronic diseases in Iran which has a considerable burden on health system. In addition, hyperglycemia is a well-established independent risk factor for ischemic stroke and the development of microvascular and macrovascular diseases in patients with diabetes. On the other hand, middle cerebral artery is one the most important cerebral arteries which may role in up to 85% of cerebral blood flow. Therefore, this study was performed to determine blood flow velocity of middle cerebral artery (MCA) by means of transcranial doppler (TCD) in diabetic patients. Patients and This cross-sectional study was conducted on 81 diabetic patients who had referred to Firoozgar hospital in Tehran, Iran in years 2004-2005. All the patients were supposed to be free of previous myocardial infarction (MI) or cerebrovascular accident (CVA) and also had the appropriate criteria for undergoing Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (TCD). For each patient, demographic data (age and sex), level of hemoglobin A1c, CRP, HDL, LDL, clinical features and TCD findings were recorded. Data were analyzed using SPSS v.13. The mean age of the patients was 55.91(SD=11.05) years. The mean blood flow velocities of right and left MCA were 50.74(SD=15.65) cm/sec and 48.87(SD=15.96) cm/sec, respectively. In addition, the mean end-diastolic blood flow velocities of right and left MCA were 34.82(SD=12.80) cm/sec and 33.60(SD=13.58) cm/sec, respectively. Significant statistical correlations were found between duration of diabetes and end-diastolic blood flow velocity of right MCA (P=0.025, r Pearson = -0.218). As cerebrovascular diseases are preventable, it seems that TCD study may play an important role in decreasing such complications in diabetic patients. Our results showed the inverse relation between duration of diabetes mellitus and blood flow velocity of middle cerbral artery. It also demonstrates the effects of vascular changes in diabetic patients on causing stroke. In addition the improtance of anticoagulants in prevention of cerebrovascular accident has been highlighted.