title: The renal tubular damage marker urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase may be more closely associated with early detection of atherosclerosis than the glomerular damage marker albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes.
abstract: To determine the association between urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), a marker of renal tubulopathy, and carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaques in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) and to compare the predictive value of NAG versus albuminuria, a marker of renal glomerulopathy.
  
  
  
  A total of 343 participants were enrolled in this retrospective cross-sectional study. We recruited participants with T2D who were tested for blood glucose parameters, urinary NAG, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) and had been checked for carotid ultrasonography.
  
  
  
  We classified participants into a below-median urinary NAG group (Group I; n = 172) or an above-median group (Group II; n = 171). Mean, maximum, and mean of maximum carotid IMT and the proportion of patients with carotid plaques were significantly higher in Group II compared with Group I. In multiple linear regression analyses, high urinary NAG (Group II) was significantly associated with carotid IMT, independently of urinary ACR and other confounding factors. In terms of carotid plaques, both urinary NAG and ACR were significantly higher in participants with carotid plaques than in those without carotid plaques. After adjustment for confounding factors, both urinary NAG and ACR were significantly associated with the presence of carotid plaques.
  
  
  
  Elevated urinary NAG, a marker of renal tubular damage, was related to increased carotid IMT and the presence of carotid plaques in patients with T2D. Urinary NAG may be a more sensitive biomarker than urinary albumin for early detection of atherosclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.|Severance Hospital, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
authors.forename: So Ra
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.|Severance Hospital, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yong-Ho
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Laboratory Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sang-Guk
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.|Severance Hospital, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Seok
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.|Severance Hospital, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Soo
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Graduate School, Yonsei University College of Medicine, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea. bwanlee@yuhs.ac.|Severance Hospital, 50-1, Yonsei-ro, Seodaemun-gu, Seoul, 03722, South Korea. bwanlee@yuhs.ac.
authors.forename: Byung-Wan
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase / Q000652:urine*; D000368:Aged; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000652:urine; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000652:urine; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000652:urine; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000652:urine; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000201:enzymology*; D016014:Linear Models; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D058226:Plaque, Atherosclerotic; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016482:Urinalysis
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D003404:Creatinine; D000118:Acetylglucosaminidase
keywords: Carotid intima-media thickness; Carotid plaque; N-acetyl-β-D glucosaminidase; Type 2 diabetes mellitus