Serum fetuin-A levels are independently correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor and C-reactive protein concentrations in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic retinopathy

• Published in: Clinica chimica acta Vol. 455; pp. 113 - 117
• Main Authors: Zhou, Zhong-Wei, Ju, Hui-Xiang, Sun, Ming-Zhong, Fu, Qing-Ping, Chen, Hong-Mei, Ji, Hong-Bin, Ji, Fei, Jiang, Dong-Mei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.04.2016
• Subjects: Aged; alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein - metabolism; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - metabolism; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetic Nephropathies; Diabetic retinopathy; Female; Fetuin-A; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Vascular endothelial growth factor; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - blood; Diabetic retinopathy; Fetuin-A; C-reactive protein; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Vascular endothelial growth factor
• ISSN: 0009-8981; 1873-3492; 1873-3492
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2016.02.003

The higher expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and C-reactive protein (CRP) is associated with the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Fetuin-A is shown to have proangiogenic and proinflammatory effects. This study included 245 T2DM patients consisting of 95 cases with non-diabetic retinopathy (NDR), 78 cases with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and 72 cases with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), in addition to 65 healthy controls. Serum fetuin-A, VEGF and CRP concentrations and related parameters were measured. Significant positive correlations were found between fetuin-A and VEGF and CRP, and between VEGF and CRP in T2DM patients (all p<0.001). After adjustment for confounders, fetuin-A was correlated independently with VEGF and CRP in NPDR and PDR patients, but not in NDR subjects. In addition, fetuin-A was correlated independently with HOMA-IR (all 4 groups), HbA1c (NDR, NPDR and PDR groups) and duration of diabetes (PDR group). When compared with NDR and control subjects, NPDR and PDR patients had higher HOMA-IR. Serum fetuin-A concentrations are independently correlated with VEGF and CRP concentrations in T2DM patients with DR, but not in NDR subjects. •Fetuin-A was positively correlated with VEGF and CRP in T2DM patients.•VEGF was positively correlated with CRP in T2DM patients.•Fetuin-A was independently related with VEGF and CRP in DR patients, but not in NDR.•DR patients had higher HOMA-IR compared with NDR and control subjects.