Vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF]: an association with diabetic microvascular complications

ABSTRACT

Type 2 diabetes mellitus [DM] and hyperhomocysteinaemia are both associated with premature vascular disease. This study aimed to assess plasma total homocysteine [P tHcy] level in type 2DM and its relation to nephropathy and retinopathy. P tHcy level was estimated in 20 type 2 diabetic patients with retinopathy and microalbuminuria and 20 patients with retinopathy and macroalbuminuria versus 20 type 2 diabetics with no retinopathy nor nephropathy and 20 healthy controls matched for age, sex and race. Other assessment included funduscopic examination, complete urine analysis, estimation of urinary albumin excretion rate, blood urea, serum creatinine, crentinine clearance, fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated haemoglobin [HbA[IC]]. serum lipid profile. as well as ultrasonographic examination of the kidneys and renal arteries. Mean P tHcy concentration was significantly higher in both the albuminuric groups than in normal albuminuric. group and controls, however mean P tHcy was inversely correlated with creatinine clearance versus no correlation with the other studied parameters, and no relation to retinopathy. Creatinine clearance is the only parameter associated with P tHcy, denoting that the degree of renal functional impairment is the determinant of its plasma concentration in patients with type 2 DM