Myocardial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: role of endothelial progenitor cells and oxidative stress

Background: Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are responsible for angiogenesis and maintenance of microvascular integrity, the number of EPCs is correlated with oxidative stress. Their relation to myocardial dysfunction in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is nonetheless unknown. Methods: Eighty-seven patients with T2DM and no history of coronary artery disease were recruited. Transthoracic echocardiography and detailed evaluation of left ventricular (LV) systolic function by 2-dimensional (2D) speckle tracking derived strain analysis in 3 orthogonal directions was performed. Four subpopulations of EPCs, including CD34+, CD133+, CD34+/kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR) + and CD133+/KDR + EPCs, were measured by flow cytometry. Oxidative stress was assessed by superoxide dismutase (SOD). Results: The mean age of the patients was 62 +/- 9 years and 39.6% were male. Those with an impaired longitudinal strain had a lower number of CD34+ EPCs (2.82 +/- 1.87% vs. 3.74 +/- 2.12%, P < 0.05) than those with preserved longitudinal strain. When compared with those with preserved circumferential strain, patients with an impaired circumferential strain had a lower number of CD34+ EPCs (2.63 +/- 1.80% vs. 3.87 +/- 2.10%, P < 0.01) and SOD level (0.13 +/- 0.06U/ml vs. 0.20 +/- 0.08U/ml, P < 0.01). Patients with an impaired radial strain nonetheless had a lower number of CD34+ EPCs (2.62 +/- 2.08% vs. 3.69 +/- 1.99%, P < 0.05). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that only impaired global circumferential strain remained significantly associated with CD34 + EPCs and SOD. Conclusions: LV global circumferential strain was independently associated with number of CD34+ EPCs and SOD. These findings suggest that myocardial dysfunction in patients with T2DM is related to depletion of EPCs and increased oxidative stress.