title: Evolution of cardiac changes in young insulin-dependent (type 1) diabetic patients--one more piece of the puzzle of diabetic cardiopathy.
abstract: Based on our recent reports that increased myocardial contractility has been found in newly diagnosed diabetic patients, and that diastolic (D) dysfunction precedes systolic (S) dysfunction, we suggested that the development of diabetic cardiopathy passes through the following stages: (I) increased myocardial contractility, (II) intact S and D function, (III) intact S function and D dysfunction, and (IV) S and D dysfunction. The aim of this pilot study was to test this hypothesis. One hundred fifty-seven young (26.2 +/- 7.4 years) cardiac-asymptomatic patients with type I diabetes and 54 healthy subjects were studied using M-mode echocardiography. The presence of at least one of the variables for systolic function (ejection fraction, mean velocity of circumference, fiber shortening, and stroke index) or diastolic function [left atrium emptying index (LAEI), EFo slope of anterior mitral leaflet, and isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT)] outside the control mean +/- 2 SD was interpreted as an increased or depressed myocardial contractility, and diastolic dysfunction, respectively. The severity of diabetic complications (retinopathy, nephropathy, and cardiac autonomic neuropathy) was evaluated by the diabetic complication index (DCI = 0 divided by 6 scores). Our hypothesis was confirmed significantly (p < 0.001) in 148 (94%) patients with diabetes. Duration of diabetes and DCI progressed significantly (ANOVA: F = 36.6, p < 0.001; F = 70.8, p < 0.001) with hypothetical stages. Diastolic dysfunction was more pronounced in stage IV than in stage III: IRT (80.5 +/- 18.6 ms vs. 62.5 +/- 16.4, p < 0.001), EFo (63 +/- 15 mm/s vs. 72 +/- 21, p < 0.05), LAEI (0.58 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.8 +/- 0.15, p < 0.001).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Medical University, Noninvasive Cardiology Section, Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Raev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003971:Diastole; D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009200:Myocardial Contraction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left