[The evaluation of left ventricular diastolic function in patients with type-1 diabetes mellitus].

Diastolic transmitral bloodflow (TMBF) was studied in 42 patients with type I diabetes mellitus (DM) and 46 essentially healthy subjects in rest and during wrist isometric load. In rest, the auricle role in the left ventricular (LV) filling got enhanced but indices for early filling did not undergo changes as compared to controls. In exposure to the load, alterations in TMBF patterns in 25 DM patients were different from the reaction in healthy subjects. In this subgroup of patients presenting with disturbed LV filling average patient age was greater, duration of illness longer than in 17 patients free form diastolic dysfunction (DD). Indices for early filling were low in DD patients even in rest whereas in those without DD the above indices tended to increase as compared to controls. Sympathetic hyperreactivity characteristic of DM patients can in part mask reduction of rate of early filling caused by disturbances in relaxation. A conclusion was reached that pulse dopplerography can be used as a screening test to identify DM patients presenting with DD.