Three‐dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography: Is it the magic wand in the diagnosis of subclinical myocardial dysfunction in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus?

OBJECTIVES: To revaluate the role of three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3D-STE) in the evaluation of subclinical myocardial dysfunction in asymptomatic children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty asymptomatic children with type 1 DM were included as a patient group. Fifty healthy children of matched age, sex, and weight served as a control group. Laboratory investigations in the form of complete blood count (CBC), liver function test, renal function test, complete blood lipid profile, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting and 2 hours postprandial (PP) glucose levels, and cardiac troponin I (cTnT I) were drawn. Complete echocardiographic evaluation of the left ventricular (LV) function was performed in the form of conventional echo, 2D strain, tissue Doppler imaging (TDI), and 3D- STE. RESULTS: cTnT I levels were significantly higher in the patient group than the control group, and this increase was significantly correlated with Hb A1c. Conventional echocardiography showed normal systolic and diastolic function of the LV. Diastolic (by TDI) as well as systolic functions of LV (by 4D LV quantification tool) were found to be significantly lower in patient group than control group. 3D-STE examination showed that there was a significant decrease in all component of strain in patient group than control group and that decrease correlated well with 4D LV EF but did not correlate with the duration of DM. There was a significant negative correlation between longitudinal strain and the control of DM. CONCLUSION: 3D-STE is a good tool for prediction of early cardiac dysfunction in asymptomatic children with type 1 DM.