Long-term effects of intensive multifactorial treatment on aortic stiffness and central hemodynamics after 13 years with screen-detected type 2 diabetes: the ADDITION-Denmark trial

BACKGROUND: Peripheral and central hemodynamic indices are modifiable by lifestyle and medical intervention. We aimed to determine the long-term effect of intensive multifactorial treatment on peripheral and central hemodynamic indices among people with screen-detected diabetes. METHODS: Between 2001 and 2006, people with screen-detected type 2 diabetes were included in the Anglo-Danish-Dutch study of Intensive Treatment of Diabetes in Primary Care (ADDITION) trial (NCT00237549, ClinicalTrials.gov). In the Danish arm, participants were invited to a clinical examination in 2015–2016, 13 years after inclusion and 8 years after trial-end. Out of 586 eligible participants who attended the clinical examination, 411 had a valid examination of central and peripheral hemodynamic indices (242 received intensive treatment and 169 received routine care). Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), central blood pressure and augmentation index were assessed by applanation tonometry. We used mixed-effect models to examine the intervention effect adjusting for cluster randomization and heart rate. RESULTS: Randomization to intensive treatment during the trial-period was associated with a 0.58 m/s lower cfPWV (95% CI − 1.09 to − 0.06) at follow-up. Adjustment for blood pressure attenuated the association. Differences between intervention groups for central augmentation index were − 1.25% (95% CI: − 3.28 to 0.78), central pulse pressure − 1.74 mmHg (95% CI − 4.79 to 1.31), central systolic blood pressure − 3.06 mmHg (− 7.08 to 0.96), and central diastolic blood pressure − 1.70 mmHg (− 3.74 to 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Intensive multifactorial treatment of screen-detected type 2 diabetes has a sustained positive effect on aortic stiffness measured by cfPWV. Although all estimates pointed in favor of intensive treatment, we observed no clear beneficial effect on other hemodynamic indices. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13098-022-00890-1.