Control db/+ and diabetic db/db mice at 6 and 12 wk of age were subjected to echocardiography to determine whether contractile function was reduced in vivo and restored in transgenic db/db-human glucose transporter 4 (hGLUT4) mice (12 wk old) in which cardiac metabolism has been normalized. Systolic function was unchanged in 6-wk-old db/db mice, but fractional shortening and velocity of circumf...