Systolic Time Intervals before and after Maximal Exercise in Adolescents with Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Mellitus
Systolic time intervals (STI) were measured before and after exercise in 18 diabetic adolescents (D) and 18 age- and sex-matched nondiabetic controls (C). At similar heart rates, pre-exercise pre-ejection period (PEP) and left ventricular ejection time (LVET) were significantly shorter in D compared to C (p<0.05). There was no difference between the two groups in the PEP/LVET ratio. Following exercise there were no differences in STIs between groups. However, the change in PEP and LVET from pre- to postexercise was significantly less in D compared to C (delta PEP 38 vs. 53±3 msec, p<0.01; delta LVET 120 vs. 134±4 msec, p<0.05). These data suggest a hypercontractile state at rest in D and a blunted response to exercise when compared to C. This study provides data that may be relevant to the early identification of individuals at risk for premature diabetic cardiomyopathy.