Relationship between insulin resistance and left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes

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.