Left ventricular mass and systolic function in African diabetic patients: association with microalbuminuria.
OBJECTIVE
To assess echocardiographic evidence of cardiomyopathy and its association with microalbuminuria in type 2 normotensive non-proteinuric diabetic patients.


METHODS
Forty consecutive normotensive non-proteinuric type 2 diabetic patients were studied. Body mass index, blood pressure, urinary albumin excretion, ECG at rest and after exercise, left ventricular mass, and shortening fraction using two-dimensional and M-mode echocardiography were measured in every patient.


RESULTS
Among the 40 patients studied, 17 (42.5%) presented with microalbuminuria, 16 (40.0%) with left ventricular hypertrophy, 22 (55.0%) with systolic dysfunction and 3 (7.5%) with ECG changes compatible with cardiac ischaemia. No significant difference existed between normoalbuminuric and microalbuminuric patients for age, known duration of diabetes, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Ventricular mass correlated to urinary albumin excretion rate (r=0.34; p=0.04) and shortening fraction to diastolic blood pressure (r = - 0.40; p=0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Left ventricular structure and function might be altered in African type 2 diabetic patients in the absence of hypertension, and microalbuminuria may be an early biochemical marker of these abnormalities.
Mbanya
J C
JC
Endocrine and Diabetes Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, Cameroon. jean-claude.Mbanya@camnet.cm
Sobngwi
E
E
Mbanya
D S
DS
Ngu
K B
KB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000652:urine; D044383:Black People; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002163:Cameroon; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000652:urine; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004452:Echocardiography; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013599:Systole; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left