Relationship between osteopontin and vascular calcifications in type 2 diabetic patients.

Aim: To measure circulating osteopontin levels in a cohort of type 2 diabetic patients and to determine whether osteopontin could be associated with lower limb arteries calcifications, either intimal (atherosclerotic) or medial (mediacalcinosis).

Methods: Osteopontin was measured in 60 patients with type 2 diabetes who were subdivided in three groups: group 1 (n=19) was characterized by the absence of peripheral vascular calcifications on plain soft tissue radiograms; group 2 (n=18) presented intimal calcifications without mediacalcinosis; in group 3 (n=23), mediacalcinosis was the dominant pattern.

Results: Osteopontin levels were significantly higher in patients with mediacalcinosis (558 ng/ml [140-2289], median [range]) than in subjects without vascular calcifications (337 [134-841], P = 0.024) or in individuals with intimal lesions (340 [140-1154], P = 0.05). No correlation was observed between osteopontin, glycaemic control or HOMA test results. Osteopontin was correlated with creatinine clearance (P = 0.037).

Conclusion: In type 2 diabetic patients, circulating levels of osteopontin were higher in the presence of medial calcifications than in subjects without vascular lesions or in individuals with calcifications limited to the intimal