DIABETIC STATUS AND NIGHT-TIME SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE PREDICT EARLY MYOCARDIAL DAMAGE IN NEWLY DIAGNOSED DIABETES MELLITUS TYPE 2 PATIENTS AS THIS IS DEPICTED BY GALECTIN-3 LEVELS.

OBJECTIVE: Long standing Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (T2DM) shows a high frequency of cardiovascular events. However, it is not known if newly diagnosed patients with T2DM present early signs of cardiovascular dysfunction. On the other hand, galectin has been introduced as a novel biomarker of myocardial fibrosis. The aim of the study was to evaluate levels of galectin-3 in patients with a very recent diagnosis of T2DM without established cardiovascular disease. In addition, hemodynamic parameters as well as their possible correlation with galactin-3 levels were studied.

DESIGN AND METHOD: Patients with a recent diagnosis of T2DM (<6 months) and non-T2DM volunteers were studied. A thorough medical history with emphasis on hypertension and relevant comorbidities, somatometric measurements and blood tests was obtained from all participants. Serum levels of galectin-3 were determined by ELISA. Myocardial function and hemodynamic profile were noninvasively assessed with impedance cardiography. Furthermore, Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk (ASCVD) was calculated.

RESULTS: We studied 135 subjects, 79 T2DM patients with a median disease duration of 1 month (IR: 5) and 56 controls matched by age, sex and hypertension. T2DM patients had significantly higher values of galectin-3 (90 ± 88ng/dl vs 32.92 ± 6.32ng/dl, p < 0.001), Cardiac Output (CO), ASCVD Risk compared to controls. Galectin-3 was associated with T2DM (p < 0.001), fasting glucose (p < 0.001), glycosylated hemoglobin (p < 0.001). Furthermore, galectin-3 was associated with CO (p = 0.023), nighttime systolic blood pressure (SBP) (p = 0.03) and ASCVD Risk (p = 0.001). In multiple linear regression analysis, T2DM (Beta: 0.406, p < 0.001) and nighttime SBP (Beta: 0.196, p = 0.028), were identified as independent predictors of galectin-3, after adjustment for age, sex, Body Mass Index and CO.

CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3 is elevated in patients with early stage T2DM even in the absence of established cardiovascular disease, and is independently correlated with T2DM and nighttime SBP. In this group of patients galectin may be used as a biomarker of early myocardial damage. Nighttime SBP emerge as an important mediator in early target organ damage in cardiovascular diseases.