To investigate the influence of the nursing intervention on the ankle-brachial pulse wave velocity (PWV) and the ankle-brachial index (ABI) in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Eighty patients with newly-diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected and were completely randomly divided into the intervention group (40 patients) and the control group (40 patients) . In the intervention group, the closed integrated nursing management mode was applied. Group health records were established and the nursing management group mode of chronic diseases was applied. The chronic disease management team was organized with specialist physicians, chronic disease specialist nurses and general practice nurses who were specialized trained and got related qualification. The whole team diagnosed patients in hospital and out of hospital, gave mental intervention and daily life guidance to patients (diet, sports and so on) . Outside of hospital, the telephone follow-up was made every week; the regular family visit was made and the guidance was given to patients every month; the related presupposed indicators were tested every three months. All the patients who were enrolled in the chronic disease management team were given the pre-job training to fully understand their responsibilities, obligations, work contents, etc. in the team. They also signed the team's responsibility statement. In the control group the traditional diabetes nursing management mode was used. After two years intervention, the early detection atherosclerosis blood indexes (PWV and ABI) of patients in the two groups were compared.

Before the intervention, there was no significant difference in the PWV or the ABI between the two groups (P>0.05) . After the intervention, the PWV in the intervention group was (1 552±462) cw/s, which was significantly different compared with that in the control group (1 613±417) cw/s (t=2.031, P=0.047) . Moreover, in the intervention group, the PWV before the intervention was significantly different compared to the PWV after the intervention (t=2.533, P=0.008) . After the intervention, the ABI was improved, but the ABI in the intervention group was not significantly different compared with that in the control group. In the intervention group, the ABI before the intervention was not significantly different from that after the intervention (P>0.05) .

The closed nursing management mode can improve the PWV value in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus and delay the development of atherosclerosis.

Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Atherosclerosis; Pulse wave velocity; Ankle-brachial index; Closed nursing management mode