Left ventricular anatomical and functional changes with ageing in type 2 diabetic adults

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Diabetology
• Echocardiography

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes is linked to myocardial dysfunction.
• Previous echocardiographic studies suggest coexisting systolic and diastolic impairment in diabetic patients.
• No systematic investigation of age-related left ventricular changes in type 2 diabetes exists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate serial age-related changes in left ventricular anatomy and function in type 2 diabetic patients.
• To compare myocardial function between diabetic patients and non-diabetic controls across different age groups.
• To identify predictors of systolic myocardial dysfunction in type 2 diabetes.

Main Methods:

• Studied 160 type 2 diabetic patients and 110 controls, stratified into four age groups.
• Utilized comprehensive echocardiographic examination, including tissue Doppler imaging.
• Analyzed conventional systolic and diastolic parameters and longitudinal myocardial function.

Main Results:

• Tissue Doppler imaging revealed impaired systolic and diastolic longitudinal myocardial function in diabetic patients, except in the youngest group.
• Diastolic dysfunction appeared concomitantly in both groups by age 46-60.
• Diabetic patients exhibited earlier systolic dysfunction, indicated by lower myocardial velocity in the 46-60 age group.
• Age, glycated hemoglobin, and blood pressure predicted systolic myocardial dysfunction.

Conclusions:

• Type 2 diabetes patients experience early, concurrent systolic and diastolic myocardial dysfunction.
• This dysfunction represents a preclinical manifestation of diabetic cardiomyopathy.
• Diabetic cardiomyopathy impacts myocardial function at an earlier stage than previously recognized.