Association of glycated albumin with the presence of carotid plaque in patients with type 2 diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
Postprandial hyperglycemia is a potent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Serum glycated albumin (GA) has been reported to reflect postprandial blood glucose fluctuations. In the present study, we assessed the possible correlation of GA with the presence of carotid plaque to evaluate the potential clinical usefulness of GA for predicting atherosclerotic cardiovascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes.


METHODS
Patients with type 2 diabetes (n = 236) admitted to Nippon Medical School Hospital (Tokyo, Japan) for glycemic control (aged 19-86 years, 81 females and 155 males) were examined. Clinical measurements were taken on admission. The presence of carotid plaque was assessed by ultrasonography.


RESULTS
In patients with carotid plaque (n = 154), GA (P = 0.023) was higher than those without carotid plaque (n = 82). In contrast, neither fasting plasma glucose (P = 0.48) nor glycated hemoglobin (P = 0.41) was significantly different between the groups. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that GA (age- and sex-adjusted odds ratio [95% confidence interval], 1.05 [1.01-1.09]; P = 0.017) and glycated hemoglobin (1.17 [1.01-1.37]; P = 0.036) were significantly associated with the presence of carotid plaque.


CONCLUSIONS
The positive correlation of serum GA with the presence of carotid plaque in type 2 diabetes suggests that GA will serve as a useful clinical marker for predicting diabetic cardiovascular complications.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Yuki
Y
Sato
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Mototsugu
M
Nagao
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Akira
A
Asai
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Yasushi
Y
Nakajima
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Makiyo
M
Takaya
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Naomi
N
Takeichi
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Shuji
S
Takemitsu
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Mariko
M
Sudo
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Toshiko
T
Kano-Wakakuri
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Akira
A
Ishizaki
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Taro
T
Harada
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Kyoko
K
Tanimura-Inagaki
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Fumitaka
F
Okajima
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Hideki
H
Tamura
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Hitoshi
H
Sugihara
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism Department of Medicine Nippon Medical School Tokyo Japan.
Shinichi
S
Oikawa
Carotid plaque; Glycated albumin; Type 2 diabetes mellitus