Impact of Diabetes and Increasing Body Mass Index Category on Left Ventricular Systolic and Diastolic Function.

Background: Diabetes and obesity are both worldwide growing epidemics, and both are independently associated with increased risk for heart failure and death. The aim of this study was to examine the additive detrimental effect of both diabetes and increasing body mass index (BMI) category on left ventricular (LV) myocardial systolic and diastolic function.

Methods: The present retrospective multicenter study included 653 patients (337 with type 2 diabetes and 316 without diabetes) of increasing BMI category.

Relationship between left ventricular diastolic function and arterial stiffness in asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus.

Left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction and increased arterial stiffness are common in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the relation between these two pathophysiological factors remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between LV diastolic function and arterial stiffness as assessed with applanation tonometry.

Non-invasive assessment of microcirculation by sidestream dark field imaging as a marker of coronary artery disease in diabetes.

Purpose: In diabetes, generalised microvascular disease and coronary artery disease (CAD) are likely to occur in parallel. We used a sidestream dark field (SDF) handheld imaging device to determine the relation between the labial microcirculation parameters and CAD in asymptomatic patients with diabetes.

Methods: SDF imaging was validated for assessment of labial capillary density and tortuosity.

Relationship between vascular stiffness and stress myocardial perfusion imaging in asymptomatic patients with diabetes.

Purpose: Vascular stiffness may potentially be used as a screening tool to identify asymptomatic patients with diabetes with abnormal myocardial perfusion. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the association between vascular stiffness, measured in term of pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), and abnormal myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in asymptomatic patients with diabetes.

Methods: Prospectively, 160 asymptomatic patients with diabetes (mean age 51 years, 87 men) underwent MPI with adenosine stress.

Usefulness of hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype in type 2 diabetes mellitus to predict the presence of coronary artery disease as assessed by computed tomographic coronary angiography.

The present study tested whether in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) the combination of increased waist circumference and increased plasma triglyceride (TG) levels can predict the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) as assessed by multidetector computed tomographic coronary angiography (CTA). In 202 patients with type 2 DM who were clinically referred for CTA, waist circumference and TG levels were measured. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to waist circumference measurements and TG levels.

Subclinical left ventricular dysfunction and coronary atherosclerosis in asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes.

Aims: The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether subclinical left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction is independently related to subclinical coronary atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic patients and if it could provide incremental information over baseline characteristics to identify high-risk patients.

Methods And Results: A total of 234 asymptomatic, type 2 diabetic patients without overt LV systolic dysfunction underwent coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring and two-dimensional echocardiography. The LV global longitudinal strain (GLS) was assessed using automated function imaging.

Increased carotid intima-media thickness as a predictor of the presence and extent of abnormal myocardial perfusion in type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Identification of asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes at increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a challenge. We evaluated the potential of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) for prediction of abnormal myocardial perfusion in this population.

Research Design And Methods: CIMT and SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging were assessed in 98 asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes.

Endothelial dysfunction in diabetic patients with abnormal myocardial perfusion in the absence of epicardial obstructive coronary artery disease.

Unlabelled: In patients with diabetes mellitus, myocardial perfusion defects are often observed in the absence of obstructive epicardial coronary artery disease (CAD), thereby presenting a diagnostic problem. We hypothesized that these perfusion abnormalities may be explained by endothelial dysfunction or occult coronary atherosclerosis.

Methods: Prospectively, 130 asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus underwent cardiovascular screening by coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring, multislice CT coronary angiography, and myocardial perfusion imaging by SPECT.

Usefulness of carotid intima-media thickness in patients with diabetes mellitus as a predictor of coronary artery disease.

Identification of asymptomatic patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) at increased risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) remains a challenge. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) has been proposed as a surrogate marker for CAD but only limited data are available. The purpose of the study was to evaluate the potential of CIMT for prediction of CAD in asymptomatic patients with DM.

Relation between Framingham risk categories and the presence of functionally relevant coronary lesions as determined on multislice computed tomography and stress testing.

Noninvasive assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis by multislice computed tomographic (MSCT) coronary angiography and demonstration of significant, flow-limiting coronary artery disease (CAD) by stress testing may improve patients' risk stratification. However, data relating the complementary information provided by these noninvasive techniques to traditional risk assessment are scarce. In 255 subjects (45% women, mean age 54 +/- 12 years) without known CAD, 64-slice MSCT coronary angiography and stress testing (exercise electrocardiographic test or myocardial perfusion imaging) were performed.

Differences in atherosclerotic plaque burden and morphology between type 1 and 2 diabetes as assessed by multislice computed tomography.

OBJECTIVE It is unclear whether the coronary atherosclerotic plaque burden is similar in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes. By using multislice computed tomography (MSCT), the presence, degree, and morphology of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with type 1 and type 2 diabetes were compared. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Prospectively, coronary artery calcium (CAC) scoring and MSCT coronary angiography were performed in 135 asymptomatic patients (65 patients with type 1 diabetes and 70 patients with type 2 diabetes).

Prevalence of coronary artery disease across the Framingham risk categories: coronary artery calcium scoring and MSCT coronary angiography.

Background: Non-invasive assessment of subclinical atherosclerosis by means of coronary artery calcium scoring (CACS) and multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) coronary angiography could improve patients' risk stratification. However, data relating observations on CACS and MSCT coronary angiography to traditional risk assessment are scarce.

Methods And Results: In 314 consecutive outpatients (54 +/- 13 years, 56% males) without known CAD, CACS and 64-slice MSCT coronary angiography were performed.

Relation of epicardial adipose tissue to coronary atherosclerosis.

Adipose tissue surrounding the coronary arteries has been suggested to induce development of atherosclerosis. We explored the relation between epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume and coronary atherosclerosis using multislice computed tomography. The study population consisted of 190 patients who had undergone multislice computed tomographic coronary angiography.