Abstract
Introduction. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the root cause of diabetic nephropathy, a condition affecting the kidneys (T2DM). The number of people who have type 2 diabetes is growing.
Aim. To evaluate the differences in Apelin 13 levels between patients with T2DM who had normal or microalbuminuria and those who had microalbuminuria, as well as between these patients and healthy controls. The intent is to better understand its link to microalbumin, haemoglobin A1c, insulin resistance (IR), and other standard measures.
Materials and methods. Sixty individuals with type 2 diabetes, aged 35 to 45, were selected, and their microalbuminuria and normoalbuminuria were compared. Thirty age-matched healthy volunteers were selected to serve as controls. The concentrations of Apelin 13 and insulin in the plasma were measured with ELISA kits. The Turbilatex assay was used to calculate microalbumin concentrations. Measurements of glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1C) were made via high-performance liquid chromatography.
Results. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus had higher levels of the protein Apelin 13 in their plasma than did healthy controls. T2DM patients with microalbuminuria were different from normoalbuminuric patients in another important way. Correlations between plasma Apelin 13 and albuminuria, HbA1c, and HOMA-IR were all positive.
Conclusion. Considering that plasma Apelin 13 is a critical risk factor in Type 2 diabetes mellitus and frequently arises in the early stages of nephropathy, it may be useful for the assessment of vascular issues in type 2 diabetic patients.