Thyroid gland status and type 1 diabetes mellitus in relation to serum vascular endothelial growth factor levels

ABSTRACT

Aim: Investigation of the relationship of thyroid gland status in type 1 diabetes mellitus and serum vascular endothelial growth factor [VEGF] level. Subjects and Twenty type 1 male diabetic subjects, and ten matched control normal subjects. Serum VEGF concentrations, FT3, FT4, serum TSH and anti-GAD were tested for all subjects. None of the subjects ever had any concomitant metabolic and/or autoimmune diseases. Diabetic patients demonstrated a significant reduction in FT3 and a significant increase in both TSH and VEGF as compared to the control group. There was no significant difference between the two groups regarding FT4. Sixty five percent of type 1 diabetic patients showed +ve autoantibodies against glutamic acid decarboxylase [anti-GAD], whereas all the controls were -ve for anti-GAD. Conclusions: There is a close association between type 1 diabetes with anti-GAD, and the presence of thyroid dysfunction. Moreover, the increased serum levels of VEGF in type 1 diabetics with hypothyroid function could be the stimulus for the increase in intrathyroidal angiogenesis