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Absence of circadian variation in the onset of acute myocardial infarction in diabetic subjects.
  1. S. Fava,
  2. J. Azzopardi,
  3. H. A. Muscat,
  4. F. F. Fenech
  1. Department of Medicine, St Luke's Hospital, Malta.

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVES--To investigate the circadian pattern of acute myocardial infarction in non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients and to compare it with that of controls. BACKGROUND--Previous studies have shown that there is a circadian variation in the incidence of acute myocardial infarction, but there are few data on diabetic subjects. METHODS--A hospital based prospective case-control study. RESULTS--196 diabetic patients and 196 age and sex matched controls were admitted with a diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction during the study period. IN 32 diabetic patients and 38 controls, the time of onset of myocardial infarction was unknown; in 34, 44, 42, and 44 diabetic patients the onset was in the first to fourth quarters respectively (chi 2 = 1.66, NS). The corresponding figures for the controls were 30, 56, 45, and 27 (chi 2 = 13.9, P < 0.005). The difference between the two groups was highly significant (chi 2 = 10.3, P < 0.025). CONCLUSIONS--Diabetic subjects do not show a significant circadian variation in the onset of acute myocardial infarction.

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