Time-course changes in left ventricular myocardial deformation in STZ-induced rabbits on velocity vector imaging

To clarify the time-course changes in left ventricular myocardial deformation using velocity vector imaging and to provide insights into our understanding of the cardiac pathophysiology in diabetes mellitus.

Thirty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into either the control group (n = 10) or the diabetes mellitus (DM) group (induced with STZ, n = 20). For the myocardial deformation studies, echocardiography and syngo-vector velocity imaging (VVI) were performed at baseline and after 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks in all of the rabbits. The left ventricular (LV) global longitudinal and circumferential strain and strain rate were measured. For histomorphological study of the heart structure, 2 of the STZ-induced rabbits were killed at 2, 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Routine hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed.

At 2 weeks, the global longitudinal strain (GLS), systolic strain rate (GLSRs), and diastolic strain rate (GLSRd) were significantly lower in the DM group compared with the control group (-18.16% versus -24.00%, -1.86 s(-1) versus -2.49 s(-1), 1.93 s(-1) versus 2.42 s(-1), respectively, P < 0.05), while, compared with the control group, the global circumferential strain (GCS), systolic strain rate (GCSRs), and diastolic strain rate (GCSRd) in the DM group were significantly decreased (-12.77% versus -23.31%, -1.31 s(-1) versus -2.20 s(-1), 1.41 s(-1) versus 2.15 s(-1), respectively, P < 0.05) at 8 weeks. With the progression of untreated diabetes, the histoanatomical alterations intensified gradually beginning at 2 weeks.

The progressive impairments in LV myocardial deformation and structure occurred early in diabetic rabbits with normal LV ejection fraction (EF), FS, and E/A. VVI could be used to evaluate subtle cardiac dysfunction in the early phase of DM.