Objectives The purpose of this study was to compare myocardial triglyceride content and function between patients with uncomplicated type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and healthy subjects within the ...same range of age and body mass index (BMI), and to study the associations between myocardial triglyceride content and function. Background T2DM is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Increasing evidence is emerging that lipid oversupply to cardiomyocytes plays a role in the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy, by causing lipotoxic injury and myocardial steatosis. Methods Myocardial triglyceride content and myocardial function were measured in 38 T2DM patients and 28 healthy volunteers in the same range of age and BMI by proton magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and MR imaging, respectively. Myocardial triglyceride content was calculated as a percentage relative to the signal of myocardial water. Results Myocardial triglyceride content was significantly higher in T2DM patients compared with healthy volunteers (0.96 ± 0.07% vs. 0.65 ± 0.05%, p < 0.05). Systolic function did not significantly differ between both groups. Indexes of diastolic function, including the ratio of maximal left ventricular early peak filling rate and the maximal left ventricular atrial peak filling rate (E/A) and E peak deceleration, were significantly impaired in T2DM compared with those in healthy subjects (1.08 ± 0.04 ml/s2 × 10−3 vs. 1.24 ± 0.06 ml/s2 × 10−3 and 3.6 ± 0.2 ml/s2 × 10−3 vs. 4.4 ± 0.3 ml/s2 × 10−3 , respectively, p < 0.05). Multivariable analysis indicated that myocardial triglyceride content was associated with E/A and E peak deceleration, independently of diabetic state, age, BMI, heart rate, visceral fat, and diastolic blood pressure. Conclusions Myocardial triglyceride content is increased in uncomplicated T2DM and is associated with impaired left ventricular diastolic function, independently of age, BMI, heart rate, visceral fat, and diastolic blood pressure.
Prolonged Caloric Restriction in Obese Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Decreases Myocardial Triglyceride Content and Improves Myocardial Function Sebastiaan Hammer, Marieke Snel, Hildo J. ...Lamb, Ingrid M. Jazet, Rutger W. van der Meer, Hanno Pijl, Edo A. Meinders, Johannes A. Romijn, Albert de Roos, Johannes W. A. Smit In type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), myocardial triglyceride (TG) stores are increased. We studied the effects of prolonged caloric restriction on myocardial TG content, myocardial function, and glucoregulation in obese patients with T2DM. Caloric restriction decreased body weight associated with improved glucoregulation, a decrease in myocardial TG content, and improvements in diastolic function. We conclude that myocardial TG stores in obese patients with T2DM are flexible and amendable to therapeutic intervention by caloric restriction. Therefore, the data emphasize the potential relevance of measuring myocardial TG content as a surrogate marker to assess the effects of metabolic interventions on the heart.