LEFT-VENTRICULAR FUNCTION DETERMINED BY DOPPLER-ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY IN ADOLESCENTS WITH TYPE-I (INSULIN-DEPENDENT) DIABETES-MELLITUS

Sixty-one children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and twenty -three healthy subjects were investigated. The patients with diabetes mellitus aged 4 to 20 years (13.4 +/- 4.0) had had diabetes for 1 to 1 6 years (6.4 +/- 3.5). There were no cardiovascular risk factor other than diabetes. Patients received no medication other than insulin. The following echocardiographic and Doppler parameters of the left ventri cle were analyzed in both groups: systolic and diastolic dimensions, s ystolic time intervals, fractional shortening, mean velocity of circum ferential fiber shortening, percent relaxation of the left ventricular posterior wall at 50% of diastole, peak velocity of early (E) and lat e atrial (A) mitral flow, E/A ratio, deceleration of the E-wave, and t he isovolumetric relaxation time. None of the parameters were signific antly different between the groups. There was no relation observed bet ween duration of diabetes and any of the parameters analyzed. It is co ncluded that there is not echocardiographic data to support the concep t of diabetic cardiomyopathy in adolescents with type I (insulin-depen dent) diabetes mellitus.