Comparison of frequency of insulin resistance after coronary stenting in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with versus without coronary restenosis

The large incidence of restenosis after coronary angioplasty in diabetic patients renders this procedure less effective than in nondiabetics, and insulin resistance could be a relevant cause of restenosis in such patients. This study assessed insulin resistance and biologic markers of metabolic control in type 2 diabetic patients treated with stented angioplasty. Seventy-four patients were studied prospectively. Biochemical determinations, insulin tolerance test results, and the rate constant for plasma glucose disappearance (Kitt%) were obtained. The angiographic outcome of angioplasty was assessed by quantitative coronary analysis at baseline and at 6 months in 64 patients (86%). Patients with restenosis had smaller minimum luminal diameters after stenting (2.8 ± 0.5 vs 3.04 ± 0.5 mm, p = 0.05), were more often hypertensive (97% vs 79%, p = 0.02) and treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (53% vs 23%, p = 0.02), and had smaller Kitt% (2.9 ± 1.6%/min vs 3.7 ± 1.4%/min, p = 0.04) and larger titers of growth hormone (1.36 ± 1.5 vs 0.68 ± 0.6 ng/ml, p = 0.02).