Higher islet amyloid load in men than in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
Type 2 diabetes mellitus is characterized histopathologically by islet amyloid deposits formed from islet amyloid polypeptide. The aim of this study was to investigate sex difference in islet amyloid of type 2 diabetic patients.


METHODS
Pancreas specimens were collected from 235 autopsies with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Islet amyloid was identified with Congo red stain. The load of islet amyloid deposits was assessed by prevalence (percentage of cases with islet amyloid deposits), frequency (percentage of islets containing amyloid deposits), and severity (percentage of islet area occupied by amyloid deposits).


RESULTS
Women (n = 80) and men (n = 155) had similar age of death, duration of diabetes, body mass index, and hemoglobin (Hb)A1c level. Islet amyloid was found in 30.0% of the women and in 44.5% of the men (P = 0.035). None of 9 women younger than 50 years had islet amyloid. Frequency of amyloid-affected islets was 31.5% +/- 13.1% in women and 41.1% +/- 14.3% in men (P = 0.008). Severity of amyloid-affected islet area was 29.0% +/- 12.5% in women and 38.5% +/- 14.6% in men (P = 0.007).


CONCLUSIONS
Sex is a determinant of the development of islet amyloid in type 2 diabetes mellitus. This sex difference in islet amyloid may be related to a potential benefit of female sex hormones.
Zhao
Hai-Lu
HL
Departments of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. zhaohailu@cuhk.edu.hk
Sui
Yi
Y
Guan
Jing
J
He
Lan
L
Lai
Fernand M M
FM
Zhong
Ding-Rong
DR
Yang
Di
D
Baum
Larry
L
Tong
Peter C Y
PC
Tomlinson
Brian
B
Chan
Juliana C N
JC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000682:Amyloid / Q000032:analysis*; D001344:Autopsy; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide; D007515:Islets of Langerhans / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012737:Sex Factors
D000682:Amyloid; D058228:Islet Amyloid Polypeptide