Coronary blood flow in chronic insulin-dependent diabetic dogs

Diabetic patients appear to be at an increased risk for perioperative morbidity and mortality following coronary artery bypass grafting. Many have suggested that microangiopathy is a primary cause. Using radionuclide labelled microspheres, we measured the perfusion of the subendocardium, midmyocardium, subepicardium, and the subendocardium/subepicardium ratio in alloxan-induced diabetic and normal dogs. We found no statistical difference in the myocardial perfusion of dogs made diabetic for five months when compared to normal dogs. By using repeated measures two-factor analysis of variance-regression model, changing blood glucose levels had no effect on coronary blood flow in either the diabetic or normal dogs.