Short-term hyperglycemic dysregulation in patients with type 1 diabetes does not change myocardial triglyceride content or myocardial function.

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of hyperglycemia due to partial insulin deprivation on myocardial triglyceride (TG) content and myocardial function in patients with type 1 diabetes. Myocardial and hepatic TG content and left ventricular (LV) function were measured by magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and MR imaging during optimal glucoregulation and after 24 h of partial insulin deprivation (n = 10). Mean insulin infusion rate was 45 +/- 5 units at baseline, whereas it was 27 +/- 5 units during hyperglycemia (per 24 h, P < 0.001). Plasma glucose levels increased from 8.4 +/- 0.6 to 15.9 +/- 0.8 mmol/l (P < 0.001), and plasma levels of nonesterified fatty acids from 0.31 +/- 0.05 to 0.46 +/- 0.07 mmol/l (P = 0.015). Hyperglycemia had no effects on myocardial or hepatic TG content and LV function. Short-term hyperglycemic dysregulation does not modulate myocardial or hepatic TG content or myocardial function, despite considerable metabolic adaptations.