To Assess Left Ventricular Diastolic Dysfunction in Patients with Prediabetes

Background and Aims: Prediabetes is increasingly recognised as a cardiovascular risk state, with emerging evidence suggesting early myocardial dysfunction, including left ventricular diastolic dysfunction (LVDD), even before overt diabetes. NT-proBNP is a promising biomarker for detecting subclinical cardiac involvement. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of LVDD in prediabetic patients and to correlate echocardiographic findings with NT-proBNP levels. Methods: This prospective observational study included 53 prediabetic individuals aged 18-60 years without hypertension or structural heart disease. LVDD was diagnosed using tissue Doppler echocardiographic criteria, including E/A ratio and deceleration time (DT). NT-proBNP levels were measured and compared between LVDD and non-LVDD groups. Results: LVDD was present in 11 of 53 participants (20.8%). Patients with LVDD had significantly higher NT-proBNP levels (195.01 ± 6.75 pg/mL) than those without LVDD (80.13 ± 13.81 pg/mL; P = .025). The mean age in the LVDD group was also significantly higher ( P = .035). E/A ratio and DT were significantly altered in the LVDD group. Conclusion: LVDD is moderately prevalent in prediabetic individuals. NT-proBNP correlates well with echocardiographic evidence of diastolic dysfunction and may serve as a non-invasive marker for early detection of cardiac involvement in prediabetes. These findings support the utility of NT-proBNP as a screening tool for early cardiac dysfunction in prediabetic individuals.