Screening for Microvascular and Macrovascular Complications using Echocardiography and Cathelicidin in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes

Abstract

he mortality and morbidity of cardiovascular diseases are markedly increased in individuals with diabetes compared to the general population. Atherosclerosis starts in childhood and adolescence as shown by intima-media thickness of the carotids and aorta. Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) causes a significant prevalence of cardiac failure in children with T1DM. DCM can be either asymptomatic or noticeable. Diastolic dysfunction, which occurs before systolic damage, has been described as an early indicator of DCM in patients without macrovascular problems. Cathelicidins are antimicrobial peptide (AMPs) that, in addition to their stimulatory impact on wound healing and angiogenesis, have a proven function in many autoimmune diseases. Limited available data related to the association between elevated AMPs level and risk of diabetic complications. The aim of this study is to determine Cathelicidin level in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus as a potential marker for diabetic vascular complications and assess its relation to the clinicopathological characteristics of patients, glycemic control, carotid intima media thickness as an index for subclinical atherosclerosis.