Serum adipocytokines are associated with microalbuminuria in patients with type 1 diabetes and incipient chronic complications

Recent studies have implicated possible contribution of adipocytokines in development and progression of microvascular complications in patients with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). The aim of our study was to investigate relationship between adipocytokines, namely leptin, resistin, adiponectin and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) activity, with albuminuria in T1DM. This study included 202 T1DM without or with incipient microvascular complications. Urinary albumin excretion rate (UAE) was measured from at least two 24-h urine samples. Serum DPP-4 activity was measured by a colorimetric assay procured, and the level of adiponectin, leptin, and resistin was determined by the ELISA method. Serum DPP-4 activity and adiponectin was significantly higher in patients with normoalbuminuria compared to patients with microalbuminuria (47 vs 36 U/L, and 10.9 vs 7.3 ug/mL, respectively, p≤0.02). In multivariate logistic regression analysis adiponectin and serum DPP-4 activity was significantly associated with risk of microalbuminuria in our subjects (p≤0.04), with odds ratios of 0.72 to 0.99. However, after adjustment for age, sex, HbA1c, duration of diabetes and BMI, only serum DPP-4 activity was significantly associated with risk of microalbuminuria (p=0.008). The results of our study suggest that serum DPP-4 activity is lower in T1DM with microalbuminuria. Prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the relationship between serum DPP-4 activity and progression and development of albuminuria and nephropathy in T1DM