Impaired Myocardial Functional Reserve in Hypertension and Diabetes Mellitus Without Coronary Artery Disease: Searching for the Possible Link With Congestive Heart Failure in the Myocardial Doppler in Diabetes (MYDID) Study II

Background Although the impact of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN) on myocardial function has recently been studied using tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE), the independent role of both conditions, and the influence of other risk factors on myocardial function has not been completely defined, particularly in absence of coronary artery disease (CAD). The aim of this study was to assess the myocardial functional reserve in patients with DM or HTN with apparently normal left ventricular (LV) systolic function. Methods Standard and dobutamine stress echocardiography using TDE was performed in 128 subjects: 59 had DM, 20 had HTN, 27 had both DM and HTN (HTN + DM), and 22 subjects were controls (C). Subjects with known CAD and depressed LV function were excluded. In addition, standard two-dimensional and Doppler measurements, LV regional peak systolic (PSV), early (E′) and late (A′) diastolic velocities, strain (S%) and strain rate (SR), were assessed at rest and peak stress. Results The LV mass did not differ, although relative wall thickness was significantly higher in subjects with HTN + DM and HTN. The PSV did not differ at rest but was lowest in subjects with HTN + DM at peak stress. The E′ wave velocity was significantly lower in subjects with HTN + DM both at rest and during peak stress, as were S% and SR. Conclusions The addition of DM to HTN has a negative effect on LV systolic and diastolic functions. A depressed myocardial functional reserve might be postulated as one of the pathophysiologic mechanisms for the excessive occurrence of congestive heart failure in patients with DM or HTN.