Monitoring of early and advanced glycation in relation to the occurrence of microvascular complications in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The authors aimed to evaluate if the monitoring of serum advanced glycation end-products (s-AGEs) could help to predict a development of diabetic complications. Clinical and biochemical parameters including fructosamine (FAM), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and serum AGEs were investigated in children and adolescents with 1 type diabetes with (+DC) and without (-DC) complications. FAM levels (in mmol/l) were significantly elevated in +DC diabetic group compared to -DC one (3.043±0.459 vs. 2.614±0.430; p<0.001) or to controls (3.043±0.459 vs. 1.620±0.340; p<0.001) as well as in -DC compared to controls (2.614±0.430 vs. 1.620±0.340; p<0.001). HbA1c (in %) were significantly elevated in +DC diabetic group compared to -DC one (10.48±1.83 vs. 8.41±1.19; p<<0.001) or to controls (10.48±1.83 vs. 5.0±0.38, p<<0.001) and also in -DC compared to controls (8.41±1.19 vs. 5.0±0.38; p<0.001). Serum AGEs levels (in A. U.) were significantly higher in +DC group than in - DC (73.0±14.09 vs. 65.8±9.05; p<0.05) and in group +DC than in controls (73.0±14.09 vs. 60.17±13.78; p<0.05), whereas there was no difference between -DC and controls. FAM correlated with HbA1c in both diabetic groups (+DC: r=0.374; p<0.05; -DC: r=0.719; p<0.001), but not in controls. Serum AGEs were correlated with HbA1c (r=0.478; p=0.003) in +DC, but not in -DC or controls. Enhanced serum AGEs levels show that they could be not only an attendant phenomenon of microangiopathies, but also a predictor of their development. © 2009 Institute of Physiology v.v.i., Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic.