Resveratrol Ameliorates Arterial Stiffness Assessed by Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Resveratrol has been reported to have potent anti-atherosclerotic effects in animal studies. However, there are few interventional studies in human patients with atherosclerogenic diseases. The cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) reflects arterial stiffness and is a clinical surrogate marker of atherosclerosis. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of resveratrol on arterial stiffness assessed by CAVI in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, 50 patients with T2DM received supplement of a 100-mg resveratrol tablet (total resveratrol: oligo-stilbene 27.97 mg/100 mg/day) or placebo daily for 12 weeks. CAVI was assessed at baseline and the end of study. Body weight (BW), blood pressure (BP), glucose and lipid metabolic parameters, and diacron-reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs; an oxidative stress marker) were also measured. Resveratrol supplementation decreased systolic BP (-5.5 +/- 13.0 mmHg), d-ROMs (-25.6 +/- 41.8 U.CARR), and CAVI (-0.4 +/- 0.7) significantly (P < 0.05) and decreased BW (-0.8 +/- 2.1 kg, P = 0.083) and body mass index (-0.5 +/- 0.8 kg/m(2), P = 0.092) slightly compared to baseline, while there were no significant changes in the placebo group. Decreases in CAVI and d-ROMs were significantly greater in the resveratrol group than in the placebo group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified resveratrol supplementation as an independent predictor for a CAVI decrease of more than 0.5. In conclusion, 12-week resveratrol supplementation may improve arterial stiffness and reduce oxidative stress in patients with T2DM. Resveratrol may be beneficial in preventing the development of atherosclerosis induced by diabetes. However, a large-scale cohort study is required to validate the present findings.