Functional capacity and left ventricular diastolic function in patients with type 2 diabetes

Heart Rate Recovery: Up to Date in Heart Failure-A Literature Review

The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease underscores the growing significance of heart failure (HF). Pathophysiological insights into HF highlight the dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), characterized by sympathetic overactivity and diminished vagal tone, impacting cardiovascular function. Heart rate recovery (HRR), a metric measuring the heart's ability to return to its baseline rate post-exertion, plays a crucial role in assessing cardiovascular health. Widely applied across various cardiovascular conditions including HF, coronary artery disease (CAD), and arterial hypertension (HTN), HRR quantifies the difference between peak and recovery heart rates. Given its association with elevated sympathetic tone and exercise, HRR provides valuable insights into the perspective of HF, beyond effort tolerance, reaching toward prognostic and mortality indicators. Incorporating HRR into cardiovascular evaluations enhances our understanding of autonomic regulation in HF, offering potential implications for prognostication and patient management. This review addresses the significance of HRR in HF assessment, analyzing recently conducted studies, and providing a foundation for further research and clinical application.

The association between higher cardiac troponin levels and the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction in septic patients with diabetes mellitus

This study was designed to retrospectively analyze the relationship between the levels of cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and the development of left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD) in septic patients with diabetes mellitus. Furthermore, the predictive value of cTnT and cTnI in the LVDD development in those patients was investigated. The clinical information of 159 septic patients with diabetes mellitus treated in the intensive care unit of Affiliated Hospital of Chengde Medical University from June 2016 to January 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were separated into LVDD group (LVFP > 15 mmHg) and non-LVDD group (LVFP ≤ 15 mmHg) based on left ventricular filling pressure (LVFP). The differences in clinical data, echocardiographic parameters, as well as cTnT and cTnI levels between the LVDD and non-LVDD groups were compared. The relationship between the cTnT and cTnI levels and the echocardiographic parameters was studied using Pearson correlation analysis. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the factors that influenced the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves were created to evaluate the predictive value of cTnT and cTnI levels for the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes. Totally 159 septic patients with diabetes were included in this study, with 97 patients in the LVDD group and 62 in the non-LVDD group. Compared with the non-LVDD group, patients in the LVDD group had much lower left ventricular (LV) early diastolic peak inflow velocity (E), LV advanced diastolic peak inflow velocity (A), E/A, and early diastolic mitral annular velocity (Em) while significantly higher E/Em. The LVDD group showed much higher levels of cTnI and cTnT than the non-LVDD group (P < 0.05). Significant positive correlation between log10cTnI level and E/Em ratio (r = 0.425, P < 0.001) was revealed by the Pearson correlation analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that E/A, E/Em, cTnI and cTnT were independent risk factors for the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes (P < 0.05). As for ROC curve results, the area under the curve (AUC) of cTnT to predict the development of LVDD in septic patients with diabetes was 0.849 (95% CI 0.788-0.910, P < 0.001); the AUC of cTnI was 0.742 (95% CI 0.666-0.817, P < 0.001). Both cTnT and cTnI are independent risk factors and have predictive value for the LVDD development in septic patients with diabetes mellitus.

Cardiorespiratory fitness in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective

To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis assessing the cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) among individuals with and without type 2 diabetes.

Materials and methods

The current review was registered in PROSPERO under the number CRD42018082718. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases were searched from inception through February 2022. Eligibility criteria consisted of observational or interventional studies that evaluated CRF through cardiopulmonary exercise testing or six-minute walk test in individuals with type 2 diabetes compared with individuals without type 2 diabetes. For data extraction, we used baseline CRF assessments of randomized clinical trials or follow-up CRF assessments in observational studies. We performed a meta-analysis using maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 max), and distance walked in the 6MWT as primary outcomes. They were extracted and expressed as mean differences (MDs) and 95% CIs between treatment and comparator groups. The meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager (RevMan) software.

Results

Out of 8,347 studies retrieved, 77 were included. Compared with individuals without type 2 diabetes, individuals with diabetes achieved a lower VO2 max (-5.84 mL.kg-1.min-1, 95% CI -6.93, -4.76 mL.kg-1.min-1, p = <0.0001; I2 = 91%, p for heterogeneity < 0.0001), and a smaller distance walked in 6MWT (-93.30 meters, 95% CI -141.2, -45.4 meters, p > 0.0001; I2: 94%, p for heterogeneity < 0.0001).

Conclusion

Type 2 diabetes was associated with lower cardiorespiratory fitness, as observed by lower VO2 max on maximal tests, and smaller distance walked in 6MWT, however the quality of studies was low.

Insight into different phenotypic presentations of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

Heart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) accounts for half of all HF diagnoses, and its prevalence is increasing at an alarming rate. Lately, it has been recognized as a clinical syndrome due to diverse underlying etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms. The classic echocardiographic features of HFpEF have been well described as preserved ejection fraction (≥50%), left ventricular hypertrophy, and left atrial enlargement. However, echocardiography can play a key role in identifying the principal underlying mechanism responsible for HFpEF in the individual patient. The recognition of different phenotypic presentations of HFpEF (infiltrative, metabolic, genetic, and inflammatory) can assist the clinician in tailoring the appropriate management, and offer prognostic information. The goal of this review is to highlight several key phenotypes of HFpEF and illustrate the classic clinical scenario and echocardiographic features of each phenotype with real patient cases.

Old and Novel Predictors for Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetic Foot Syndrome—A Narrative Review

Diabetic foot syndrome (DFS) is a complication associated with diabetes that has a strong negative impact, both medically and socio-economically. Recent epidemiological data show that one in six patients with diabetes will develop an ulcer in their lifetime. Vascular complications associated with diabetic foot have multiple prognostic implications in addition to limiting functional status and leading to decreased quality of life for these patients. We searched the electronic databases of PubMed, MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies that evaluated the role of DFS as a cardiovascular risk factor through the pathophysiological mechanisms involved, in particular the inflammatory ones and the associated metabolic changes. In the era of evidence-based medicine, the management of these cases in multidisciplinary teams of “cardio-diabetologists” prevents the occurrence of long-term disabling complications and has prognostic value for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among diabetic patients. Identifying artificial-intelligence-based cardiovascular risk prediction models or conducting extensive clinical trials on gene therapy or potential therapeutic targets promoted by in vitro studies represent future research directions with a modulating role on the risk of morbidity and mortality in patients with DFS.

Diastolic function evaluation in children with ventricular arrhythmia

Premature ventricular contractions (PVC) are frequently seen in children. We evaluated left ventricular diastolic function in PVC children with normal left ventricular systolic function to detect whether diastolic function disturbances affect physical performance. The study group consisted of 36 PVC children, and the control group comprised 33 healthy volunteers. Echocardiographic diastolic function parameters such as left atrial volume index (LAVI), left atrial strains (AC-R, AC-CT, AC-CD), E wave, E deceleration time (Edt), E/E' ratio, and isovolumic relaxation time (IVRT) were measured. In the cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), oxygen uptake (VO_{2 max}) was registered. Evaluation of diastolic function parameters revealed statically significant differences between the patients and controls regarding Edt (176.58 ± 54.8 ms vs. 136.94 ± 27.8 ms, p < 0.01), E/E' (12.6 ± 3.0 vs. 6.7 ± 1.0, p < 0.01), and IVRT (96.6 ± 19.09 ms. vs. 72.86 ± 13.67 ms, p < 0.01). Left atrial function was impaired in the study group compared to controls: LAVI (25.3 ± 8.2 ml/m² vs. 19.2 ± 7.5 ml/m², p < 0.01), AC-CT (34.8 ± 8.6% vs. 44.8 ± 11.8%, p < 0.01), and AC-R-(6.0 ± 4.9% vs. -11.5 ± 3.5%, p < 0.01), respectively. VO2 max in the study group reached 33.1 ± 6.2 ml/min/kg. A statistically significant, moderate, negative correlation between VO2 max and E/E' (r = -0.33, p = 0.02) was found. Left ventricular diastolic function is impaired and deteriorates with the arrhythmia burden increase in PVC children. Ventricular arrhythmia in young individuals may be related to the filling pressure elevation and drive to exercise capacity deterioration.

A high-sucrose diet exacerbates the left ventricular phenotype in a high fat-fed streptozotocin rat model of diabetic cardiomyopathy

Left ventricular (LV) dysfunction is an early, clinically detectable sign of cardiomyopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) that precedes the development of symptomatic heart failure. Preclinical models of diabetic cardiomyopathy are essential to develop therapies that may prevent or delay the progression of heart failure. This study examined the molecular, structural, and functional cardiac phenotype of two rat models of T2DM induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) with a moderate- or high-sucrose content (containing 88.9 or 346 g/kg sucrose, respectively), plus administration of low-dose streptozotocin (STZ). At 8 wk of age, male Sprague-Dawley rats commenced a moderate- or high-sucrose HFD. Two weeks later, rats received low-dose STZ (35 mg/kg ip for 2 days) and remained on their respective diets. LV function was assessed by echocardiography 1 wk before end point. At 22 wk of age, blood and tissues were collected postmortem. Relative to chow-fed sham rats, diabetic rats on a moderate- or high-sucrose HFD displayed cardiac reactive oxygen species dysregulation, perivascular fibrosis, and impaired LV diastolic function. The diabetes-induced impact on LV adverse remodeling and diastolic dysfunction was more apparent when a high-sucrose HFD was superimposed on STZ. In conclusion, a high-sucrose HFD in combination with low-dose STZ produced a cardiac phenotype that more closely resembled T2DM-induced cardiomyopathy than STZ diabetic rats subjected to a moderate-sucrose HFD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Left ventricular dysfunction and adverse remodeling were more pronounced in diabetic rats that received low-dose streptozotocin (STZ) and a high-sucrose high-fat diet (HFD) compared with those on a moderate-sucrose HFD in combination with STZ. Our findings highlight the importance of sucrose content in diet composition, particularly in preclinical studies of diabetic cardiomyopathy, and demonstrate that low-dose STZ combined with a high-sucrose HFD is an appropriate rodent model of cardiomyopathy in type 2 diabetes.

Evaluation of left ventricular systolic and diastolic function in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes using cardiovascular magnetic resonance-feature tracking

AIMS

The aim of this study was to evaluate alterations in left ventricular (LV) systolic and diastolic function in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes using cardiovascular magnetic resonance-feature tracking (CMR- FT).

METHODS

We included 35 subjects with prediabetes, 30 subjects with diabetes, and 33 healthy controls of similar age and sex distributions who underwent CMR examination. LV global radial, circumferential, and longitudinal strain (GRS, GCS, and GLS), peak systolic strain rate (PSSR), and peak diastolic strain rate (PDSR) were measured and compared among the three groups. Pearson's correlation and linear regression analyses were applied for statistical analyses.

RESULTS

Subjects with prediabetes and diabetes had a significantly lower GLS than healthy controls, but there were no significant differences in ejection fraction (EF), GRS, GCS, or global radial, circumferential and longitudinal PSSR among the three groups. Global radial, circumferential, and longitudinal PDSR in patients with diabetes were all significantly lower than those in the healthy controls. Compared to subjects with prediabetes, patients with diabetes had a significantly lower global circumferential PDSR. Global longitudinal PDSR in subjects with prediabetes was significantly lower than that in healthy controls. Multivariable linear regression analyses demonstrated that elevated HbA1c levels were independently associated with decreased global circumferential and longitudinal PDSR (β = -0.203, p = 0.023; β = -0.207, p = 0.040, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

CMR-FT has potential value to evaluate early alterations in LV systolic and diastolic function in subjects with prediabetes and diabetes. Elevated HbA1c levels were independently associated with impaired LV diastolic function in the general population free of overt cardiovascular diseases.

The impact of diabetes on heart failure development: The cardio-renal-metabolic connection

Heart failure (HF) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are often associated in type 2 diabetes (T2D), aggravate each other and exert synergistic effects to increase the risk of cardiac and renal events. The risks of renal worsening in HF patients and HF in CKD patients need to be evaluated to tailor preventive therapy. The recent CV and renal trials enriched our knowledge about the natural history of HF and CKD in T2D and provided evidence for the benefit of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2is) in HF and renal decline prevention. SGLT-2is are the best choice in patients with HFrEF to improve CV prognosis and HF-related outcomes and also to prevent kidney-related outcomes, and in CKD patients to slow down renal failure and also reduce hospitalization for HF and CV death. In both situations the number of patients to treat in order to prevent such events in one patient is lower than in the general T2D population at high CV risk. GLP1-receptor agonists could be an alternative in a patient who is intolerant or has a contraindication to SGLT-2is. A tight collaboration between diabetologists, nephrologists and cardiologists should be encouraged for a holistic and effective strategy to reduce the burden of cardio-renal-metabolic interaction.