The Significance of Right Ventricle in Young Subjects with Diabetes Mellitus Type 1. An echocardiographyic study

Background. Diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1) is associated with high risk for cardiovascular disease and early detection of myocardial dysfunction is very important for the prevention of cardiac complications. Although the functionality of right ventricule is important in a lot of disease affecting long time prognosis and progression, in diabetic type 1 patients has not been studied in depth yet. Objectives. To evaluate the right ventricular function by using both conventional echocardiography as well as speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) in young adults with diabetes mellitus type 1. Methods. We included 60 young asymptomatic adults diagnosed with diabetes mellitus type 1 (mean interval from diagnosis 9±6 years) and 90 healthy controls. Conventional and STE Echocardiography was acquired using the GE Vivid S60 equipment. The longitudinal right ventricular strain 6 segments (RV GLS global) and 3 segments (RVFW GLS) of right ventricle (RV GLSbazal, RV GLSmid, RV GLSapex) as well were obtained using the EchoPAC BT13 workstation. Results. No significant intergroup differences in EF were noted. Conventional echocardiographic parameters revealed lower tricuspid annular velocities Et, At and Et/At ratio compared to controls suggesting a diastolic disfunction in diabetes group. RV speckle tracking strain measurements showed no significant difference between the groups. Conclusions. Young adults with type 1 diabetes mellitus and without known heart disease have diastolic right ventricular dysfunction. The subclinical myocardial systolic function is preserved in early stages.