P113Levels of anti-elastin IgA antibodies are associated with high risk of atherosclerosis in diabetics with essential hypertension

Abstract

Purpose: Thickening of basement membrane in capillaries and small vessels is a well-known finding and important in the progression of diabetic microangiopathy. Patients with diabetes mellitus and arterial hypertension are at higher risk for development of atherosclerosis. Methods: Serum levels of antibodies to elastin (AEAbs) IgG, IgM and IgA were measured using an ELISA method of 93 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and arterial hypertension (AH) (mean age 61,4611,3 years, diabetes duration 9,8863,12 years; hypertension duration 9,2864,98). These values were compared to serum AEAbs in 42 age and sex matched controls. Diabetics were divided in two groups according to presence- Group 1 (n=67) or absence- Group 2 (n=26) of microangiopathy. Results: AEAbs IgA levels in patients with T2DM and AH were statistically significantly higher than these in healthy controls 0,338(0,133÷0,452) vs. 0,006(0,052÷0,068) (KW=19,54; P<0.0001). Patients with microvascular complications (Group 1) showed significantly higher levels of AEAbs IgA than Group 2-0,353 (0,173÷0,471) vs. 0,235 (0,098÷0,377) (RW=3,36; p=0.05) and controls 0,353 (0,173÷0,471) vs 0,006 (0,052÷0,068) (RW=20,37; p<0,0001). Patients without vascular changes also showed higher levels of AEAbs IgA than controls 0,235 (0,098÷0,377) vs. 0,006 (0,052÷0,068) (KW=8,54; P=0.003) The highest levels of AEAbs IgA were found in patients with vascular damage. Serum levels of AEAb IgG and IgM in patients with T2DM and AH were lower than these in controls, but the differences are not statistically significant. AEAbs IgA showed correlation with insulin dose (r=-0.35); (p=0.01), systolic blood pressure (r=0.31); (p=0.001), HbA1c (r=0.21); (p=0.04), BMI (r=0.22); (p=0.01). Conclusion: Our study showed a relationship between elevation of serum levels of AEAbs IgA in diabetics and development of vascular changes. The elevation of AEAbs IgA can be related with later clinical manifestation of atherosclerosis. We suggest that AEAbs IgA can be useful method for identfying a high atherosclerotic risk in diabetic patients.