Arterial Stiffness and Endothelial Function Indexes, Relationships With Clinical and Laboratory Variables in a Group of Diabetic Patients in Treatment With Dulaglutide: a Case-control Study

46 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited at the Internal Medicine with Stroke care ward of the University hospital of Palermo "P. Giaccone" from April 2017 to April 2018. For all patients treatment with dulaglutide was undertaken. As control group were recruited 46 patients from the same ward not affected by diabetes mellitus or affected by diabetes mellitus but not in treatment with dulaglutide.

The study was carried out in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration revised in 2001 and all patients gave their written consent to take part in this research.

Each patient treated with dulaglutide was compared for age, sex and cardiovascular risk with control patients. The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes mellitus was based on the revised criteria of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), and using a clinical algorithm that considered the age of onset of the disease, the symptoms and weight present, the family history and the therapy practiced. Arterial hypertension was defined according to the 2017 ESC-ESH criteria. Dyslipidemia was defined based on total cholesterol levels> 200 mg/dl, triglycerides> 150 mg/dl and HDL levels <40 mg/dl regardless of the patient's gender.

Among the cases enrolled, 46 (100%) had type 2 diabetes mellitus, 37 (80.43%) had arterial hypertension and 26 (56.52%) hypercholesterolemia.

Clinical and anthropometric data were collected at the time of recruitment. Blood samples were taken from each patient (cases and controls) to determine serum glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol, HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, and a urine sample to assess the presence of microalbuminuria. These withdrawals were then repeated three months and nine months from the time of recruitment.