Non-invasive evaluation of cardiac function in young patients with type 1 diabetes

Cardiac function was evaluated in 40 Type 1 diabetic patients aged less than 30 years and compared with 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects using resting and exercise electrocardiography, and echocardiography. The duration of diabetes was from 0.25 to 25 years (mean 10 years), and few patients had microvascular complications. Left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters were similar in both groups, with no significant differences between the groups in mean thickness of the intraventricular septum and the posterior wall of the left ventricle. Fractional shortening and mean velocity of circumferential fibre shortening as indices of ventricular function were similar in both groups. Left ventricular hypertrophy (Minnesota Code 3,1) was observed in the resting electrocardiogram of 22 patients and 12 control subjects (NS), but no other significant abnormalities were observed. One diabetic patient developed asymptomatic ST segment depression during exercise electrocardiography. In conclusion, the chamber size, wall thickness, and systolic function of the left ventricle are normal in most young Type 1 diabetic patients who have few microvascular complications.