title: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in non-diabetic offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is considered to be involved in the insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes mellitus. The offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at increased risk of developing diabetes and several metabolic abnormalities, but the underlying defects responsible are not known. We studied serum TNF-alpha levels in 30 healthy non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetic parents (group A), and the relationship between TNF-alpha levels and variables associated with insulin resistance and diabetes. For comparison, 30 healthy offspring of non-diabetic parents (group B) were also studied. The median serum concentration of TNF-alpha was significantly higher in group A than in group B, 3.5 pg/ml compared with 2.0 pg/ml, respectively. The individuals of group A also had significantly elevated levels of glycosylated haemoglobin, fasting glucose, glucose 2 h after an oral glucose tolerance test and triglycerides. We conclude that serum TNF-alpha concentration is significantly elevated in non-diabetic offspring of type 2 diabetics and this may predict later impairment of insulin action in these individuals.
authors.affiliation: Second Department of Internal Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace, Regional Hospital of Alexandroupolis, Alexandroupolis, Greece. emaltez@med.duth.gr
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maltezos
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Papazoglou
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Exiara
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Papazoglou
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karathanasis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Christakidis
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ktenidou-Kartali
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D032721:Adult Children; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D014280:Triglycerides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha