The impact of plasma glucose decline rate on cardiac repolarisation in individuals with type 1 diabetes

Abstract

Aims: To investigate whether plasma glucose decline rates influence cardiac repolarisation, transmural dispersion and counterregulatory hormones in individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) with and without good glycaemic control. Materials and Methods: In a randomised crossover study, 20 young men with T1D (10 well-regulated (HbA1c ≤53 mmol/mol); 10 dysregulated (HbA1c ≥63 mmol/mol)) underwent two separate glucose clamps involving either a rapid (Clamp-rapid) or slow (Clamp-slow) decline in plasma glucose from hyperglycaemia (baseline) (15 mmol/L) to euglycaemia (5 mmol/L). Changes in cardiac repolarisation (QTc interval), transmural dispersion (measured as the T-peak to T-end interval (Tpe interval)) and counterregulatory hormones were assessed. Study outcomes were primarily compared between clamp days (Clamp-rapid vs. Clamp-slow) and secondarily between subgroups (dysregulated vs. well-regulated). Results: The QTc interval increased by 5 ms from baseline after both rapid and slow glucose declines from hyperglycaemia to euglycaemia, and the ΔQTc interval did not differ between clamp days (mean difference: 0.10 ms [95% confidence interval (CI): −5.20; 4.99], p = 0.970). Accordingly, increases in both the Tpe interval and plasma adrenaline were comparable between clamp days. Subgroup analysis revealed no differences in ΔQTc or ΔTpe intervals between groups; however, after a rapid plasma glucose decline, the plasma adrenaline concentration tended to increase more in the dysregulated group compared to the well-regulated group. Conclusion: The plasma glucose decline rate has no clinically relevant effect on cardiac repolarisation, transmural dispersion or sympathoadrenal response in young, otherwise healthy men with T1D. However, individuals with dysregulated T1D may exhibit an altered threshold for sympathoadrenal activation compared to those with well-regulated diabetes.