Assessment of the left ventricular function in normotensive prediabetics: a tissue Doppler echocardiography study

Several studies have shown that left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is increased in individuals with diabetes. However, there are scarce data about LV function in prediabetics. This study assessed the early changes in LV diastolic and systolic myocardial function in normotensive prediabetics using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE).

We evaluated 94 patients with prediabetes (mean age of 50.8 ± 6.9 years, 78 female) without known cardiovascular diseases and 70 healthy volunteers with similar demographic characteristics. Systolic and diastolic function of the left ventricle was evaluated with transthoracic echocardiography according to the latest consensus recommendations including TDE.

The mean results of septal and lateral parts of the mitral annulus Pulsed wave TDE showed that myocardial systolic wave (Sm), myocardial early diastolic wave (Em) and Em to atrial peak velocity (Am) ratio were significantly lower whereas early diastolic peak flow velocity (E) to Em ratio, myocardial isovolumetric relaxation time (IVRTm), myocardial isovolumetric contraction time (IVCTm) and myocardial performance index (MPI) values were significantly higher in patients with prediabetes (preDM). In addition, mean left atrium (LA) diameter measured with M-mode echocardiography was significantly higher in prediabetics than controls.

PreDM is associated with subclinical LV systolic and diastolic dysfunction as evaluated by TDE.