Abstract:Objective To investigate the relationship between limitied joint mobility (LJM) of hand and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque Crouse score in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods: 200 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (116 males and 84 females) were enrolled in this hospital. The subjects were divided into two groups: LJM group (43 cases) and LJM group (157 cases). The patient is diagnosed with LJM using a "pray sign".Carotid IMT and plaque Crouse scores were evaluated by high-frequency ultrasound techniques.，Compare the differences between the two groups.Results LJM of hand was present in 43patients. Comparison between the two groups: The carotid IMT and plaque crouse scores in the LJM group were significantly higher than those in patients without. The patient's age, durations of diabetes and hemoglobin of the LJM group were significantly different from those without. The difference was statistically significant (P＜0.05) . Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between LJM of hand and carotid plaque Crouse score (β=0.424, P= 0.043).Conclusion our results demonstrate a relation between LJM of hand and atherosclerosis, especially plaque score,in patients with type 2 diabetes. Diagnosis of diabetic hand is simple and non-invasive, and thus is a useful method for assessment of atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes.