Observational study investigating the prevalence of asymptomatic stage B heart failure in patients with type 2 diabetes who are not known to have coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To identify the prevalence of stage B heart failure (SBHF) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with no history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). DESIGN: Observational study. SETTING: A single-centre study in which eligible patients were recruited from T2DM clinic. Following consent, patients completed a questionnaire and underwent physical examinations. Patients had blood drawn for laboratory investigations and had a transthoracic echocardiography. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 305 patients who were not known to have CVD were recruited. Patients with deranged liver function tests and end stage renal failure were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Echocardiographic parameters such as left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular mass index (LVMI), left ventricular hypertrophy, left atrial enlargement and diastolic function were examined. RESULTS: A total of 305 patients predominantly females (65%), with mean body mass index of 27.5 kg/m2 participated in this study. None of them had either a history or signs and symptoms of CVD. Seventy-seven percent of patients had a history of hypertension and 83% of this study population had T2DM for more than 10 years. Mean HbA1c of 8.3% was recorded. Almost all patients were taking metformin. Approximately, 40% of patients were on newer anti-T2DM agents such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 and dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitors. Fifty-seven percent (n=174) of the study population had SBHF at the time of study: diastolic dysfunction, increased LVMI and increased left atrial volume index (LAVI) were noted in 51 patients (17%), 128 patients (42%) and 98 patients (32%), respectively. Thirty-seven patients (12%) had both increase LVMI and LAVI. CONCLUSION: Our study has revealed a high prevalence of SBHF in T2DM patients without overt cardiac disease in Malaysia that has one of the highest prevalence of TDM in the world.