Interaction Effect of Diabetes and Acute Myocardial Infarction on the Left Atrial Function as Evaluated by 2-D Speckle-Tracking Echocardiography

The aim of the study described here was to investigate, using 2-D speckle-tracking echocardiography, whether myocardial infarction (MI) leads to diminished left atrial function in diabetic patients by comparison with non-diabetic patients. A total of 310 consecutive patients were divided into four groups based on the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and acute ST-elevation MI. In the adjusted analysis, systolic and early diastolic strain and strain rate were reduced in the diabetic patients. Additionally, all deformation markers were impaired in the patients with MI. The DM–MI interaction was not statistically significant. Although reservoir, conduit and contraction functions of the left atrium were reduced in the patients with MI, left atrial reservoir and conduit functions were decreased in the diabetic patients. The reduction in left atrial function caused by MI was similar for diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Thus, DM and MI additively damaged left atrial function.