ESPE Abstracts

Objective: To compare resistivity index (RI) in type 1 diabetic patients and normal controls, secondly to evaluate whether high RI is associated with different biomarkers of diabetic nephropathy (DN) as early detection of DN offers the best chance of delaying or possibly preventing progression to end-stage renal disease.

Patients and methods: The study included 62 type 1 diabetic patients and 30 healthy volunteer of the same age and sex. Blood sample was taken for assessment of glycosylated hemoglobin, lipid profile and urine sample was taken for assessment of albumin/ creatinine ratio, Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), liver-type fatty acid binding protein (L-FABP) and kidney injury molecule-1(Kim-1). 45 diabetic patients & 30 control did renal Doppler. t-test or Mann Whitney – U test for independent variables, Pearson’s or Spearman correlation analysis were used.

Results: The mean age of diabetic patients was 16.3±1.5 yrs, and mean duration of diabetes was 9.4±2.9 years. RI, albumin/creatinine ratio, NGAL, Kim-1, L-FABP and uric acid were significantly higher in diabetics than controls and in microalbuminuric diabetics compared to normoalbuminuric diabetics. In normoalbuminuric diabetics, RI, NGAL, Kim-1 and L-FABP were significantly higher compared to controls. The study revealed significant ¬positive correlation between the RI in diabetics and both KIM-1 & albumin/creatinine ratio.

Conclusion: Increased RI & renal biomarkers in diabetics are early sensitive specific markers of DN, even preceded the development of microalbuminuria, denoting that they can be used as an early and sensitive markers for early detection of DN.