Endocrine Abstracts

Aims: We investigated the association between urinary pentosidine concentration (UPC) and vascular complications.

Methods: UPC was measured in 66 patients (31 men and 35 women) with type 2 diabetes. We compared UPC between patients with and without diabetic microangiopathy, and between patients with and without macroangiopathy (cerebral infarction (CI), coronary artery disease, and peripheral arterial disease). Stepwise regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of various factors on UPC, and the following factors were considered as independent variables: age, duration of diabetes, microangiopathy, CI, and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Logistic regression analysis was performed to examine the effects of various factors on vascular complications, and the following factors were considered as independent variables: UPC, eGFR, age, duration of diabetes, HbA1c, SBP, and smoking habit.

Results: UPC was significantly higher in patients with retinopathy (71.3±32.7 vs 54.5±25.5 pmol/mgCr, P=0.026), nephropathy (72.9±36.9 vs 54.2±19.9 pmol/mgCr, P=0.022), and neuropathy (68.7±32.5 vs 53.5±24.2 pmol/mgCr, P=0.045) compared with that in patients without complications. UPC in patients with CI (87.3±36.5 vs 59.1±28.0 pmol/mgCr, P=0.026) was significantly higher than that in patients without CI. Stepwise regression analysis demonstrated that retinopathy (β=0.31, F=4.15, P=0.049) and CI (β=0.37, F=7.25, P=0.011) were independent factors for UPC. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that UPC (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.00–1.06, P=0.048) and duration of diabetes (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.07–1.28, P=0.0007) were independent factors for retinopathy.

Conclusions: High UPC could be an important factor for the incidence of vascular complications, especially retinopathy, in type 2 diabetic patients.

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.