Relationship between osteopontin and vascular calcifications in type 2 diabetic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To measure circulating osteopontin levels in a cohort of type 2 diabetic patients and to determine whether osteopontin could be associated with lower limb arteries calcifications, either intimal (atherosclerotic) or medial (mediacalcinosis).


METHODS
Osteopontin was measured in 60 patients with type 2 diabetes who were subdivided in three groups: group 1 (n=19) was characterized by the absence of peripheral vascular calcifications on plain soft tissue radiograms; group 2 (n=18) presented intimal calcifications without mediacalcinosis; in group 3 (n=23), mediacalcinosis was the dominant pattern.


RESULTS
Osteopontin levels were significantly higher in patients with mediacalcinosis (558 ng/ml [140-2289], median [range]) than in subjects without vascular calcifications (337 [134-841], P = 0.024) or in individuals with intimal lesions (340 [140-1154], P = 0.05). No correlation was observed between osteopontin, glycaemic control or HOMA test results. Osteopontin was correlated with creatinine clearance (P = 0.037).


CONCLUSIONS
In type 2 diabetic patients, circulating levels of osteopontin were higher in the presence of medial calcifications than in subjects without vascular lesions or in individuals with calcifications limited to the intimal
Belovici
Maria
M
Gr. T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy Iaşi, School of Medicine, Vth Medical Clinic.
Ketelslegers
J
J
Buysschaert
M
M
Pandele
G I
GI
Coninck
Valerie
V
Leblanc
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D001530:Belgium; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053495:Osteopontin / Q000097:blood*; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology*
D015415:Biomarkers; D053495:Osteopontin