Effect of postprandial hyperglycaemia on coronary flow reserve in patients with impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background: This study investigated whether postprandial hyperglycaemia has an adverse effect on coronary microvascular function and left ventricular diastolic function. Methods: In all, 28 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with no significant stenosis in left anterior descending artery were enrolled. In all subjects, plasma 1,5-anhydroglucitol was measured, and coronary flow reserve in the left anterior descending artery was evaluated using a Doppler wire. Membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase expression on circulating peripheral blood mononuclear cells was measured by flow cytometry. Correlation analyses were performed for coronary flow reserve and 1,5-anhydroglucitol, other coronary risk factors, membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase and E/e'. Results: Strong correlations were found only between 1,5-anhydroglucitol and coronary flow reserve and membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase. On multiple regression analysis, 1,5-anhydroglucitol remained an independent predictor of coronary flow reserve (beta = 0.38, p = 0.048). Conclusion: Postprandial hyperglycaemia appears to have an adverse effect on coronary microvascular function, suggesting that improvement of postprandial hyperglycaemia may contribute to the improvement of coronary microvascular dysfunction.