Subclinical inflammation and diabetic polyneuropathy: MONICA/KORA Survey F3 (Augsburg, Germany).
OBJECTIVE
Subclinical inflammation represents a risk factor of type 2 diabetes and several diabetes complications, but data on diabetic neuropathies are scarce. Therefore, we investigated whether circulating concentrations of acute-phase proteins, cytokines, and chemokines differ among diabetic patients with or without diabetic polyneuropathy.


METHODS
We measured 10 markers of subclinical inflammation in 227 type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic polyneuropathy who participated in the population-based MONICA/KORA Survey F3 (2004-2005; Augsburg, Germany). Diabetic polyneuropathy was diagnosed using the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI).


RESULTS
After adjustment for multiple confounders, high levels of C-reactive protein and interleukin (IL)-6 were most consistently associated with diabetic polyneuropathy, high MNSI score, and specific neuropathic deficits, whereas some inverse associations were seen for IL-18.


CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that subclinical inflammation is associated with diabetic polyneuropathy and neuropathic impairments. This association appears rather specific because only certain immune mediators and impairments are involved.
Herder
Christian
C
Institute for Clinical Diabetology, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Center for Diabetes Research at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany. christian.herder@ddz.uni-duesseldorf.de
Lankisch
Mark
M
Ziegler
Dan
D
Rathmann
Wolfgang
W
Koenig
Wolfgang
W
Illig
Thomas
T
Döring
Angela
A
Thorand
Barbara
B
Holle
Rolf
R
Giani
Guido
G
Martin
Stephan
S
Meisinger
Christa
C
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D018925:Chemokines / Q000097:blood; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003929:Diabetic Neuropathies / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D018925:Chemokines; D016207:Cytokines; D002097:C-Reactive Protein