Serum procollagen peptide III in diabetes mellitus

ABSTRACT

Serum levels of procollagen peptide type III [P-Ill-P] were estimated in 65 diabetics of both types [I and II] with and without complicating macro - and / or microangiopathy. There was a significant increase in the mean serum level of P-Ill-P in patients with diabetic macroangiopathy compared to those without macroangiopathy denoting increased collagen deposition in the large arteries by the time of development of macroangiopathy. Mean serum level of P-Ill-P was significantly higher in patients with type II diabetes who had macroangiography and were under insulin than in patients who were under oral hypolycaemics. As insulin stimulates glycogen synthetase activity, which enhances collagen synthesis by fibroblasts, the insulin dependent fibroblast sensitization may play a role in the progression of macroangiopathy. A correlation was found between mean serum P-Ill-P and the duration of type I diabetes suggesting that serum P-Ill-P may represent a marker for the presence of long term complications in diabetics, particularly macroangiopathy