ORIGINAL ARTICLES   

Panminerva Medica 2014 September;56(3):221-5

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Relationships between osteoprotegerin, receptor activator of the nuclear factor kB ligand serum levels and carotid intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Gaudio A., Privitera F., Pulvirenti I., Canzonieri E., Rapisarda R., Fiore C. E. ✉

Department of Medical and Pediatric Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy

AIM: The aim of this paper was to investigate the association of circulating osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of the nuclear factor kB ligand (RANKL) levels with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional community-based study including 40 T2DM postmenopausal women and 40 healthy controls. CIMT was measured by B-mode ultrasound. Serum OPG and RANKL were measured by solid-phase enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
RESULTS: Serum OPG levels were higher in T2DM than in controls (median 2.9 vs 2.0 pmol/liter; P<0.001), significantly associated with CIMT in T2DM (P<0.001). RANKL levels were lower in T2DM than in controls (median 0.45 vs 0.60 pmol/liter; P<0.0001), however no association was found with CIMT. Serum OPG levels were associated with cross-sectional measure of CIMT in T2DM.
CONCLUSION: The data would support the role of an increased OPG/RANKL ratio as a possible marker of progression of vascular dysfunction in diabetes.