Aim: The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between insulin resistance (IR) and the left ventricular diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes and subjects with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT).
Methods: The study included 119 subjects who underwent oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). IR was assessed using Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) and Quantitative Insulin Sensitivity Check Index (QUICKI). Left ventricular diastolic function was assessed using trans-thoracic Doppler echocardiography.
Results: Based on the OGTT results, 29 subjects had normal glucose tolerance (NGT), 20 subjects had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and 70 patients had type 2 diabetes. There were significant differences among the patients in groups with NGT, IGT and diabetes regarding HOMA-IR (4.20 +/- 1.20 vs. 6.45 +/- 3.83 vs. 8.70 +/- 6.26; P < 0.001) and QUICKI (0.54 +/- 0.11 vs. 0.49 +/- 0.08 vs. 0.47 +/- 0.08; P < 0.001). In subjects with NGT, IGT and patients with diabetes, the pulsed Doppler transmitral variables were: E-wave (0.72 +/- 0.16 cm/s vs. 0.62 +/- 0.13 cm/s vs. 0.58 +/- 0.17 cm/s; P < 0.001), A-wave (0.61 +/- 0.13 cm/s vs. 0.62 +/- 0.11 cm/s vs. 0.71+/- 0.14 cm/s; P = 0.006) and E/A ratio (1.22 +/- 0.33 vs. 1.02 +/- 0.24 vs. 0.85 +/- 0.26; p < 0.001). The proportion of subjects with an E/A ratio <1 was 27.6% in the group with NGT, 55% in the group with IGT and 75.7% in the group with diabetes (P < 0.001). The E/A ratio correlated with HOMA-IR (r = -0.30, p = 0.001) and QUICKI (r = 0.37, p < 0.0001). Multiple linear regression model showed that IR (assessed by QUICKI) was an independent correlate of diastolic dysfunction (P = 0.034).
Conclusions: In subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and patients with type 2 diabetes, insulin resistance is associated with impaired diastolic function of the left ventricle.