Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: A useful tool for disease clinical characterization and treatment of type 2 diabetes is the knowledge on the status of several biomarkers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of cardiovascular, oxidative stress and nutritional biomarkers and their relationship with the presence of type 2 diabetes and angiopathy.

Methods: A population-based case-control study in 150 Portuguese type 2 diabetic patients was performed. Group I – 75 diabetics with angiopathy, group II – 75 diabetics without angiopathy and group III – non-diabetic controls. Plasma levels of homocysteine, cysteine, malondialdehyde (MAD), vitamins B₆, C, A and E and carotenoids were measured by HPLC methods. Vitamin B₁₂ and folate serum levels were achieved by an electrochemiluminescence method.

Results: The hyperhomocysteinemia prevalence was 20% (group I), 8.7% (group II) and 0.71% (group III). Group I showed the higher prevalence of hypercysteinemia (17%). The MAD serum levels were above the reference value for all groups. The percentage of subjects with ascorbic acid low plasma levels were statistically different in diabetic (I: 55%; II: 47%) compared to non-diabetic subjects (III: 22%). The prevalence of hypovitaminosis B₆ deficiency was at least 30% for all groups. In group I, the probability to have hyperhomocysteinemia was around three times higher (P=0.04) in comparison with group II and 35 times (P=0.0006) with group III. The combined effect of type 2 diabetes and angiopathy is associated with high MAD (OR: 5.33; P=0.002) serum levels compared to group III. Type 2 diabetes predisposes to hypovitaminosis C (OR: 3.10; P=0.0002).

Conclusion: The prevalence of hypovitaminosis C and B₆ were relevant. The presence of type 2 diabetes increases the risk of hyperhomocysteinemia, oxidative stress and hypovitaminosis C. The isolated effect of angiopathy increases the probability to have hyperhomocysteinemia.