Comparison of cardiac function in male and female diabetic rats

To examine the influence of sex differences in the STZ model of diabetes, we studied left ventricular function in hearts from 6 week old male and female rats. Significantly lower values for +dP/dt occurred in male diabetic rats compared with their own controls or female diabetics at most left atrial filling pressures. Decreases in this value for female diabetic rats compared to their own controls occurred only at high left atrial pressures. It appears that diabetes mellitus produces greater myocardial dysfunction in male diabetic rats.