Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a member of the natriuretic peptide family, regulates several physiologic parameters including diuresis and natriuresis, and lowers arterial, blood pressure.

It has been reported that plasma concentrations of ANP rise in response to acute hyperglycaemia in diabetes (1) (2) and this may indicate a neurohormonal response to limit target organ damage (3).

We investigate if in situation chronic poor glycaemic control, determined by measuring Hba1c levels, there might be changes in concentrations of plasmatic ANP as regards a metabolic state of aggression y patients with microvascular disease.

Materials and methods: The study analyzes a group of 7 diabetic patients affected by microvascular disease compared with a control group of 34 patients. The control group were 21 women and 13 healthy men, aged 46±21.1 years (range 24–78 years). In the diabetic group had 4 females and 3 males, aged 37±16 years (range 17–61), 5 with type 1 diabetes and 3 type 2. Poor glycemic control groups were those with chronic HbA1c >9%. Microangiopathy was defined as the presence of renal, ocular or neuropathic disease. Statistical analysis was carried out by the statistics department of the Centre, through SPSS. The determination of ANP levels was performed by RIA.

Results: No differences were found between the levels of ANP from the group of diabetic microangiopathy with HbA1c >9% compared to HbA1c <9%.

However we could demonstrate significantly higher levels of ANP in the diabetic group than the control group.

Conclusion: -No evidence of elevated ANP levels in relation to chronic poor glycemic control in diabetic patients suffering from microvascular disease.

-ANP levels are higher in diabetics with microvascular disease than in healthy controls without diabetes.

Declaration of interest: The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research project.

Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.