Endocrine Abstracts

Background and Aims: to study the clinical significance of the s E- selectin (CD 62) in the serum of patients with Type 1 Diabetes and Microangiopathy (diabetic nephropathy (DN) and retinopathy (DR).

Materials and Methods: 32 patients (14 men & 18 women, age mediana 26,4 years) were under supervision in the period from 1999 to 2001 years. The cohort examined was subdivided into 3 groups:

1. with newly diagnosed diabetes (n = 11) without microangiopathy;

2. with the absence of microangiopathy (n = 10) & mean diabetes duration 18.4 years;

3. with the presence of proteinuric & proliferative stages of DN and DR ( n = 11 ) & mean diabetes duration 18.4 years;

All groups were comparable according to metabolic control. Persons with other autoimmune, inflammatory, oncological and hematological diseases were not included into the study. Healthy controls (n = 10) fitted the study inclusion criteria. s E-selectin was estimated in the serum by ELISA (R & D System, UK).

Results & Conclusions: s E-selectin is increased in all groups of patients with DM versus controls (p < 0,01 in the first & third) and (p < 0,05) in the second. We summarise, that the s E-selectin is elevated on the early stages of DM in the absence of microangiopathy. While progressing the serum levels of this marker increase, reflecting the chronicle endothelium injury and activation, especially in the group with proteinuria & proliferative DR. There needs further investigation of this mechanism, its correlation with metabolic control and confirmation of the poor prognostic significance.