Quantification of atherosclerotic plaque volume in coronary arteries by computed tomographic angiography in subjects with and without diabetes

Background Diabetes mellitus (DM) is considered a cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and volume of coronary artery plaque in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) vs. those without DM. Methods This study recruited consecutive patients who underwent coronary computed tomography (CT) angiography (CCTA) between October 2016 and November 2017. Personal information including conventional cardiovascular risk factors was collected. Plaque phenotypes were automatically calculated for volume of different component. The volume of different plaque was compared between DM patients and those without DM. Results Among 6381 patients, 931 (14.59%) were diagnosed with DM. The prevalence of plaque in DM subjects was higher compared with nondiabetic group significantly (48.34% vs. 33.01%, chi(2) = 81.84, P < 0.001). DM was a significant risk factor for the prevalence of plaque in a multivariate model (odds ratio [OR] = 1.465, 95% CI: 1.258-1.706, P < 0.001). The volume of total plaque and any plaque subtypes in the DM subjects was greater than those in nondiabetic patients significantly (P < 0.001). Conclusion The coronary artery atherosclerotic plaques were significantly higher in diabetic patients than those in non-diabetic patients.