Early change of extracellular matrix and diastolic parameters in metabolic syndrome

Metabolic syndrome (MS) is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. It is not clear whether myocardial changes showed in this syndrome, such as diastolic dysfunction, are due to the systemic effects of the syndrome, or to specific myocardial effects.

Compare diastolic function, biomarkers representing extracellular matrix activity (ECM), inflammation and cardiac hemodynamic stress in patients with the MS and healthy controls.

MS patients (n = 76) and healthy controls (n=30) were submitted to a clinical assessment, echocardiographic study, and measurement of plasma levels of metalloproteinase-9 (MMP9), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP1), ultrasensitive-reactive-C-Protein (us-CRP), insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP).

MS group showed lower E' wave (10.1 ± 3.0 cm/s vs 11.9 ± 2.6 cm/s, p = 0.005), increased A wave (63.4 ± 14.1 cm/s vs. 53.1 ± 8.9 cm/s; p < 0.001), E/E' ratio (8.0 ± 2.2 vs. 6.3 ± 1.2; p < 0.001), MMP9 (502.9 ± 237.1 ng/mL vs. 330.4 ± 162.7 ng/mL; p < 0.001), us-CRP (p = 0.001) and HOMA-IR (p < 0.001), but no difference for TIMP1 or NT-proBNP levels. In a multivariable analysis, only MMP9 was independently associated with MS.

MS patients showed differences for echocardiographic measures of diastolic function, ECM activity, us-CRP and HOMA-IR when compared to controls. However, only MMP9 was independently associated with the MS. These findings suggest that there are early effects on ECM activity, which cannot be tracked by routine echocardiographic measures of diastolic function.