title: Plasma low-molecular weight fluorescence in type 1 diabetes mellitus.
abstract: Characteristic tissue fluorescence is associated with advanced glycation end product (AGE) accumulation in experimental diabetes models, but its utility in patients with type 1 diabetes remains to be established. We studied 148 patients with type 1 diabetes and 77 healthy age-matched control subjects. Low-molecular weight (LMW) fluorophore levels were estimated in plasma samples obtained after an overnight fast. Intra- and interassay coefficients of variation were 4.7% and 6.4%, respectively. LMW fluorophore levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetes than in control subjects (6.3 +/- 0.6 AU/mL vs. 4.1 +/- 0.3; P = 0.007). However, all of this difference came from patients with microvascular complications (n = 67, 7.5 +/- 1.3). There was no significant difference in LMW fluorescence between complication-free patients (4.4 +/- 0.2) and control subjects (P > 0.05). On multivariate analysis, LMW fluorophores correlated with measures of renal function (P < 0.05) but not with diabetes per se. In addition, there was no correlation between LMW fluorophores and the markers of oxidative stress or systemic inflammation. Longitudinal and interventional studies are required to determine whether the association between LMW fluorophores and nephropathy is cause or effect.
authors.affiliation: University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, Princes & Regent Streets, Fitzroy, 3065 Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Januszewski
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Karschimkus
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Rowley
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Neal
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Best
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Jenkins
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008970:Molecular Weight; D012016:Reference Values; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003404:Creatinine; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D017127:Glycation End Products, Advanced; D008055:Lipids