Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Diabetic Patients and Its Relation to Other Diabetic Complications

Abstract

Background: left ventricular hypertrophy is independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. The presence of diabetic complications such as autonomic neuropathy and retinopathy may predict cardiac structural changes in diabetic patients. Objective: To explore the chance of occurrence of left ventricular hypertrophy in diabetic patients and whether it is related to the presence of other diabetic complications. Methods: ninty seven (97) normotensive diabetic patients (57) type II with mean duration of diabetes of (12±6 y) and forty (40) type I with mean duration of (8±6 y) were studied by echocardiography and compared with 41 patients as control. Results: The LVMI was significantly higher in type II diabetics compared to control (102±31 vs. 67±16 p< 0.001), although LVMI was higher in type I compared to controls but it was statistically non significant (76.7±18 vs. 76 ±16 P < 0.25). The increased in LVMI was correlated with long duration of diabetes > 15 years in type I but not in type II (p<0.001), retinopathy (34.5% vs. 4.8 p< 0.001), sings and symptoms of autonomic dysfunction (32.7% vs. 10.4% p=0.008) and (38.2% vs. 12.7%p=0.004) respectively. After adjustment for duration of diabetes, age, gender and the type of diabetes, the LVMI was only significantly correlated with long duration of diabetes (>10y). Conclusion: LV mass index was higher in diabetic patient mainly in type II, more prevalent with long duration of diabetes and if there are other diabetic complications