Table 1 Population characteristics:

Age (years)

58 (± 12)

58 (± 12)

0.9

Gender, male

52%

52%

1.0

BMI (kg/m ²)

29 (± 5)

25 (± 3)

<0.001

Current smoker

20%

32%

0.2

Previous smoker

45%

39%

0.6

Hypertension

71%

45%

0.03

Hypercholesterolaemia

84%

26%

<0.0001

Family history of ischemic heart disease

48%

61%

0.3

Antidiabetic medications:

Insulin

35%

-

Oral anti-diabetic medication

39%

-

Diet

13%

-

No treatment

13%

-

Coronary angiography:

Diffuse coronary disease, no significant stenoses

35%

29%

0.6

No coronary artery disease

65%

71%

0.6

Final diagnosis based on coronary angiography:

Angina pectoris (I20.)

55%

42%

0.3

Investigation for suspect heart disease (Z03.5)

45%

58%

0.3

Conventional echocardiography parameters:

Left ventricular ejection fraction (%)

49 (± 7)

52 (± 7)

0.1

Proportion of patients with an LVEF ≥50%

52%

55%

0.8

Left atrial end systolic volume (ml)

35 (± 14)

42 (± 20)

0.1

Mitral E/E' ratio

9.9 (± 5.8)

7.0 (± 1.6)

0.01

Left ventricular dimensions:

Interventricular septum thickness, end diastolic (mm)

1.1 (± 0.2)

1.1 (± 0.3)

0.5

Interventricular diamenter, end diastolic (mm)

4.8 (± 0.8)

4.7 (± 0.6)

0.3

Posterior wall thickness, end diastolic (mm)

1.0 (± 0.2)

1.0 (± 0.1)

0.8

Classification of diastolic function *:

overall trend test p = 0.2

Normal

55%

75%

0.1

Diastolic dysfunction I

32%

16%

0.1

Diastolic dysfunction II

10%

3%

0.3

Diastolic dysfunction III

0%

0%

-

Tissue Doppler parameters:

Peak longitudinal systolic velocity, S' (cm/s)

5.7 (± 1.1)

6.4 (± 1.1)

0.02

Peak longitudinal early diastolic velocity, E' (cm/s)

6.1 (± 1.7)

7.7 (± 2.0)

0.002

Peak longitudinal atrial velocity, A' (cm/s)

6.8 (± 1.9)

6.9 (± 1.7)

0.8

Average global longitudinal strain, AFI (%)

15.9 (± 2.9)

17.7 (± 2.9)

0.03