Objective To observe the correlation of estrogen,fasting insulin(FINS),fasting plasma glucose (FPG),glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),blood lipids and carotid arteries -membrane thickening(IMT)in the postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.Methods 63 postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes were divided into normal IMT group(group A),IMT thickening group(group B),plaque group(group C)according to the vascular ultrasound carotid artery intima thickness,at the same time 15 cases of healthy physical examination as control group (group D).All of the groups were detected the plasma total cholesterol(TC),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C),low density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),fasting insulin(FINS),fasting plasma glucose(FPG),gly-cosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),estradiol(E2).Results Compared with group A,the levels of FINS,IR,HbA1c,TC,LDL-C in group C was higher(t=16.83,14.44,2.50,2.38,2.42,all P<0.01 or P<0.05),however,the results of E2,HDL-C was decreased(t=7.32,5.51,all P<0.01).The levels of FINS,HbA1c,TC,LDL-C,FSH,IR in group D was lower than those of group C(t=19.74,36.44,8.64,7.95, 27.13,6.71,all P<0.01),On the contrast,the levels of HDL-C,E2 were elevated(t=11.34,8.72,all P<0.01). The Pearson's correlation analysis showed that E2 had negative correlation with FINS,IR,TC,LDL-C (P<0.01 or P<0.05).E2 had positive correlation with HDL-C(P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that IMT and FINS,IR,HbA1c,LDL-C were positively correlated(OR=2.94,72.63,27.30,98.18,all P<0.01),while nega-tively correlated with E2 levels(OR=2.94,P<0.01).Conclusion The increased level of estrogen was a protective factor of carotid artery atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.