Reduced left ventricular diastolic function in asymptomatic patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

This prospective study was performed to assess the provalence of diastolic dysfunction of the lelt ventricle (LV) in patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and the effect of patients' age and the duration of diabetes in the appearance of this dysfunction.

We studied 103 patients with NIDDM (group I) and 103 subjects without diabetes (group 2). SF and EF were lower in patients with NIDDM as compared with the control group (32.7+/-5.5%, vs. 34.2+/-5.2%, p=0.04 and 61+/-8.7% vs. 64.4+/-8.1, p<0.01, respectively). The EA ratio <1 is found in 71 (68.9%) patients with NIDDM, and in 36 (34.9%) subjects of the control group (p<0.01). The age of patients had significant correlation with E/A ratio of transmitral Doppler flow (r = -0.38, p<0.01). The duration of diabetes had significant correlation with EF (r = -0.26, p<0.01) and with E/A ratio (r= -0.295, p<0.01). Body mass index and waist/hip ratio did not have significant correlation with EF and with E/A ratio.

In asymptomatic NDDM patients there was a more frequent reduction of systolic and diastolic function of the LV, as compared with healthy subjects. The presence of diastolic dysfunction of the LV in NDDM patients is dependent on the age of the patients and duration of diabetes.