Serum leptin in diabetic nephropathy male patients from Gaza Strip.

OBJECTIVE: To assess serum leptin in diabetic nephropathy male patients from Gaza Strip. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This case-control study comprised 132 type 2 diabetic patients and 44 non-diabetic controls. The diabetic patients were classified into three groups; 44 normoalbuminurics, 44 microalbuminurics and 44 macroalbuminurics. Data were obtained from questionnaire interview, and biochemical analysis of blood and urine samples. Patients and controls were matched for age and body mass index (BMI). RESULTS: Serum leptin was significantly higher in micro- and macro-albuminuric patients (14.6 ±â€¯11.7 and 15.6 ±â€¯13.5 ng/ml) than controls and normoalbuminurics (5.9 ±â€¯4.0 and 8.1 ±â€¯7.6 ng/ml) with P < 0.05. In general, serum glucose, urea, createnine, cholesterol, triglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), urinary albumin and albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) were increased in diabetic groups compared to non-diabetics, and reaching their maximum increase in macroalbuminurics whereas high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), urinary creatinine and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were decreased reaching its maximum decrease in macroalbuminurics. Serum leptin showed significant positive correlations with diabetes duration (r = 0.188, P = 0.020), glucose (r = 0.298, P < 0.001), cholesterol (r = 0.323, P < 0.001), triglycerides (r = 0.361, P < 0.001), LDL-C (r = 0.248, P = 0.001) and urinary albumin (r = 0.256, P = 0.001) whereas negative significant correlations were found with HDL-C (r = -0.313, P < 0.001) and urinary creatinine (r = -0.202, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The comitant raise of serum leptin with urinary albumin combined with decrease in GFR makes leptin eligible candidate as a biomarker for progression towards diabetic nephropathy in type 2 diabetes.

Clinical and Biochemical Associations with Diabetic Retinopathy in Male Patients in the Gaza Strip.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the prevalence and risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) in the Gaza Strip. OBJECTIVE: To assesses clinical and biochemical associated with DR in males with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the Gaza Strip. METHODS: One hundred and fifty males with T2DM from the Gaza Strip underwent a questionnaire interview, serum biochemical analysis, and assessment of their previous urine and blood results. RESULTS: The prevalence of DR was 24.7%. The duration of diabetes and prevalence of neuropathy, nephropathy, cardiovascular disease, and recurrent infections were significantly higher among patients with DR compared with those without DR (p < 0.05). Serum urea, creatinine, glucose, cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly elevated, whilst eGFR and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly lower in patients with DR compared with patients without DR (p < 0.05). Urinary albumin concentration and albumin creatinine ratio (ACR) was higher in patients with DR. ACR correlated significantly with the duration of T2DM (r = 0.311, p < 0.001), glucose (r = 0.479, p < 0.001), urea (r = 0.337, p < 0.001), creatinine (r = 0.275, p = 0.001), and GFR (r = -0.275, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: These data show a high prevalence of DR in an unselected cohort of patients with T2DM and relationships to modifiable risk factors in Gaza.