Dobutamine stress echocardiography response of asymptomatic patients with diabetes

Aims: This study investigated the role of dobutamine stress echocardiograph y for the silent diagnosis of myocardial ischemia in a diabetic population. Results from the stress test were compared between diabetic and nondiabeti c groups. Methods: Forty-nine diabetics and 63 consecutive nondiabetics und erwent dobutamine stress echocardiography between April and December 1999, to check for new regional wall-motion abnormalities. A single operator, usi ng the same echograph with tissue harmonic imaging in each case, performed all the examinations, using the same techniques. Results: Significant coron ary artery disease was detected in 9% of asymptomatic diabetics. Dynamic le ft ventricular obstruction was observed in 59% of the diabetic population a nd only 22% in the nondiabetic population, One patient suffered an adverse event (fast atrial fibrillation) during the stress test. Cardiac frequency at the beginning and end of the stress test differed significantly between the two populations. Conclusion: Dobutamine stress echocardiography allows for detection of silent myocardial ischemia. In the diabetic population, we describe, for the first time under dobutamine infusion, a great number of dynamic left ventricular obstructions.