Plasma osteoprotegerin concentrations in type 1 diabetic patients with albuminuria.

Background: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a recently identified inhibitor of bone resorption. Recent studies indicate that OPG is also associated with endothelial dysfunction in diabetes.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between plasma OPG levels and urinary albumin excretion (UAE) in type 1 diabetes.

Methods: A total of 80 type 1 diabetic subjects and 40 control subjects were enrolled. Diabetic subjects were divided into a normoalbuminuric group and a microalbuminuric group according to urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER). Plasma OPG level was measured by enzyme-linked immunoassay.

Results: The plasma OPG levels were significantly elevated in patients with microalbuminuria (176.39±25.05pg/ml) compared with patients with normoalbuminuria (154.73±16.66pg/ml) and control subjects (44.76±8.7pg/ml). The plasma OPG level had a positive correlation with patients' age, duration of disease, HbA1C and UAER.

Conclusions: Plasma OPG levels are significantly associated with UAE in patients with type 1 diabetes. These findings may support the concept that elevated plasma OPG may be associated with diabetic angiopathy.