Aims: Diabetes interferes with cerebral blood flow (CBF) and it seems that the effect of acute hyperglycemia on CBF is different from the changes in CBF caused by chronic diabetes. The aim of the study was to check whether there are changes in CBF measured using transcranial Doppler (TCD) in patients with hyperglycemia before and after normalization of glycemia.
Methods: The study involved 29 patients with diabetes and 27 healthy subjects (control group). The TCD test evaluated mean flow velocity (Vm), systolic velocity (Vs) and Gosling's pulsatility index (PI) in both middle cerebral arteries (MCAs). It was performed twice in patients with diabetes (during hyperglycemia and after normalization of glycemia) and once in the control group.
Results: The baseline blood flow parameters were similar in both groups. After the normalization of glycemia in patients with diabetes, they showed lower values of Vm and Vs compared to the control group (p < 0.001). Also, the normalization of glycemia caused a decrease in Vm and Vs (p < 0.001) in patients with diabetes. There were no significant differences in PI.
Conclusions: In the patients with hyperglycemia, Vm and Vs in the MCA were higher than during normoglycemia, which was probably related to vasoconstriction and hypervolemia.
Keywords: Cerebral blood flow; Diabetes; Hyperglycemia; TCD; Transcranial Doppler.
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