title: Circulating angiopoietin-2 levels in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: relation to carotid and aortic intima-media thickness.
abstract: Angiopoietin-2 is a growth factor involved in the pathophysiology of vascular and inflammatory diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Carotid or aortic scans provide noninvasive screening tools for assessment of preclinical atherosclerosis in high-risk children.
  
  
  
  We assessed serum angiopoietin-2 in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus as a potential marker for vascular complications in relation to glycemic control, inflammation and vascular structure.
  
  
  
  Sixty patients with type 1 diabetes were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of micro-vascular complications and compared with 30 healthy controls. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, serum angiopoietin-2, carotid and aortic intima-media thickness (CIMT and AIMT) were measured.
  
  
  
  CIMT, AIMT and serum angiopoietin-2 levels were significantly increased in patients with and without micro-vascular complications compared with controls, and the highest levels were in patients with complications (p < 0.001). Angiopoietin-2 was higher in patients with microalbuminuria than normoalbuminuric group (p < 0.001). Fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, hs-CRP, CIMT and AIMT were independently related to angiopoietin-2 in multiple regression analysis. Disease duration, hyperglycemia, poor glycemic control, hypercholesterolemia, inflammation and angiopoietin-2 were independent factors contributing to atherosclerosis risk.
  
  
  
  The relation between angiopoietin-2 and assessed parameters of vascular structure in type 1 diabetes reflects a state of endothelial injury and highlights the role of disturbed angiogenesis and vascular inflammation in the occurrence of diabetic complications.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Abo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: El-Asrar
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. nancy_elbarbary@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nancy Samir
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Elbarbary
authors.affiliation: Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Eman Abdel Rahman
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Ismail
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Department, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: AlShaimaa Abo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bakr
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D042702:Angiopoietin-2 / Q000097:blood*; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D042702:Angiopoietin-2; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; C586513:ANGPT2 protein, human
keywords: Angiopoietin-2; Aortic/carotid intima-media thickness; Atherosclerosis; Nephropathy; Type 1 diabetes