Left and right ventricular systolic function impairment in type 1 diabetic young adults assessed by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography.

Objective: Subclinical left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) systolic dysfunction has been proved in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). There is lack of uniform data on systolic myocardial function in type 1 DM. The aim of this study was to evaluate LV and RV function with 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2D STE) in adult type 1 diabetic patients.

Results: Totally, 50 patients with type 1 DM and 50 control subjects in the same range of age were prospectively evaluated. The 2D STE assessment of LV longitudinal, radial, circumferential strain and RV free-wall longitudinal strain was performed. In diabetic group, left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LVGLS), left ventricular global circumferential strain (LVGCS), left ventricular radial strain at basal level (LVRS-basal), and right ventricular free-wall global longitudinal strain (RVGLS) were significantly lower compared with the controls: LVGLS (-20.3 ± 2.0% vs. -22.2 ± 1.8%, P < 0.001), LVGCS (-21.1 ± 2.5% vs. -22.2 ± 2.4%, P < 0.05), LVRS-basal (50.5% ± 11.5 vs. 57.1% ±17.0, P < 0.05), and RVGLS (-30.1% ± 3.5 vs. -32.7% ± 3.9, P < 0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the only independent predictor of reduced LVGLS was low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [odds ratio 3.65 (95% confidence interval: 1.27-10.5), P = 0.014].

Conclusions: Type 1 DM is associated with subclinical LV systolic dysfunction and worse RV systolic function, which can be detected with 2D STE.