Impact of diabetes and hypertension on left ventricular longitudinal systolic function.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of the longitudinal component of left ventricular (LV) function is of major clinical importance for the early detection of LV contractile impairment. The aim of this study was to compare the impact of isolated type-2 diabetes, isolated hypertension, and co-existence of both on LV longitudinal systolic performance, with particular focus on their potential interaction effect. METHODS: The study population included 163 consecutive patients: 84 patients with hypertension, 36 with diabetes, and 43 who have both hypertension and diabetes; 70 healthy controls were also recruited. Systolic mitral annulus velocity (S(m)) by Tissue Doppler and left atrioventricular plane displacement (AVPD) by M-mode were measured in all subjects. RESULTS: AVPD was similarly reduced in hypertensives (13.2±2.2mm) and diabetics (13.5±2.3mm) when compared with the controls (15.1±2.4mm), and further depressed in diabetic hypertensives (11.5±3.0mm). Similar results were found for S(m). General linear model analysis revealed no significant interaction terms between diabetes and hypertension. CONCLUSIONS: Normotensive diabetics and nondiabetic hypertensives show comparable depression in LV longitudinal systolic indices when compared with age- and gender-matched healthy controls; the co-existence of diabetes and hypertension leads to further impairment in LV longitudinal systolic function in an additive manner