title: Urinary albumin excretion is correlated to fibrinogen levels and protein S activity in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus without overt diabetic nephropathy.
abstract: The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that in diabetic patients without overt nephropathy there may be a correlation between the activity of natural anticoagulant proteins and glomerular dysfunction. Assays for functional activity of proteins S and C, measurements of urinary albumin excretion, lipid parameters and haemoglobin A1c were performed in 91 patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus and 85 patients with type 2. Patients with type 1 diabetes and microalbuminuria had significantly higher mean age (44.1 +/- 10.9 vs. 37.9 +/- 12.7 years; p<0.05), fibrinogen level (3.75 +/- 1.0 vs. 3.21 +/- 0.8 g/l; p<0.01), protein S activity (92.3 +/- 17.6 vs. 84.5 +/- 15.5%; p<0.05) and higher prevalence of retinopathy (p<0.01) and macrovascular disease (p<0.01) than those with normoalbuminuria. Albumin excretion was significantly correlated to age (r=0.25, p<0.05), fibrinogen level (r=0.39, p<0.01), protein S activity (r=0.27; p<0.05), total cholesterol (r=0.23; p<0.05), apoprotein B (r=0.22; p<0.05), retinopathy (r=0.33; p<0.01) and macrovascular disease (r=0.33; p<0.01). Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and microalbuminuria had significantly higher apoprotein B levels (1.17 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.06 +/- 1.2 mg/dl; p<0.05) than those with normoalbuminuria, and apoprotein B was significantly correlated to albumin excretion (r=0.22; p<0.05). In a multivariate model of type 1 diabetes mellitus with fibrinogen, protein S and C activity, cholesterol, triglycerides, haemoglobin A1c, retinopathy, and macrovascular disease as independent parameters (r=0.53; p<0.003), there was significant independent correlation of fibrinogen (beta=0.28; p<0.01), protein S activity (beta=0.27; p<0.05) and retinopathy (beta=0.21; p<0.01) with albumin excretion. We conclude that in type 1 diabetes, relative elevation of fibrinogen level and protein S activity appear in the early stages of development of diabetic nephropathy, and may be related to the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease.
authors.affiliation: II. Department of Medicine, Szent István Hospital, Budapest, Hungary. vorosdr@freemail.hu
authors.forename: Zoltán
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lengyel
authors.forename: Péter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vörös
authors.forename: Lajos K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Tóth
authors.forename: Csilla
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Németh
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kammerer
authors.forename: Mária
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mihály
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tornóci
authors.forename: László
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rosivall
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000209:etiology*; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000652:urine*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000209:etiology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017293:Protein S / Q000032:analysis*; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D017293:Protein S; D005340:Fibrinogen