Serum angiopoietin-2 is associated with angiopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to investigate the association of serum levels of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) with angiopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: The group studied comprised of 120 patients with T2DM (68 males and 52 females), included macroangiopathy complications, microvascular disease and diabetic without vascular disease. The control group consisted of 50 healthy blood donors. Ang-1, Ang-2, fasting plasma glucose (FBG), fasting insulin (FINS) and HbA1c were assessed.

Results: The serum Ang-2 levels of T2DM patients with angiopathy were found to be significantly higher compared to patients without angiopathy. Ang-2 levels were significantly positively correlated with homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) (r=0.577 and 0.504, respectively, P<0.01). In contrast, there was no significant correlation between Ang-1 levels and HOMA-IR (P>0.05). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, Ang-2 levels (P=0.02) were found to be independently associated with patients with T2DM angiopathy.

Conclusions: An association between the Ang-2 and T2DM with vascular complications was found.