Subclinical right ventricular dysfunction in diabetes mellitus--an ultrasonic strain/strain rate study

While left ventricular dysfunction has been recognized to be a common complication of diabetes mellitus, data regarding right ventricular (RV) performance in patients with diabetes are incomplete. The aim of the study was to determine the preclinical effects of diabetes on regional RV systolic and diastolic function in asymptomatic persons with diabetes using the echocardiographic strain/strain rate technique.

Groups studied consisted of 33 subjects with diabetes only (DM; aged 57.3 +/- 12.9 years) and 40 subjects with coexisting diabetes and hypertension (DMHT; aged 57.5 +/- 10.5 years). In all patients with diabetes, coronary artery disease and pulmonary hypertension were excluded. Thirty-six healthy age-matched persons served as control subjects. In each patient an echocardiographic study with strain/strain rate imaging was performed. Analysis of RV deformation data included assessment of systolic strain, peak systolic strain rate (SRs) and peak early diastolic strain rate (SRe) obtained from the basal and apical segments of the RV free wall.

Significantly lower values of systolic strain and SRs in the basal and apical segment of the RV free wall in the DM and DMHT groups as compared with control subjects indicated impairment of RV systolic function. Similarly, decreased SRe in patients with diabetes in both RV segments examined reflected abnormalities of RV diastolic performance. The systolic defects were more pronounced in the apical than in the basal segment. All measured parameters were similar in the two groups with diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is associated with subclinical RV systolic and diastolic dysfunction, regardless of coexisting hypertension.