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Tumour necrosis factor‐alpha plasma levels in elderly patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus—observations over 2 years
Author(s) -
Lechleitner M.,
Herold M.,
DzienBischinger C.,
Hoppichler F.,
Dzien A.
Publication year - 2002
Publication title -
diabetic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.474
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1464-5491
pISSN - 0742-3071
DOI - 10.1046/j.1464-5491.2002.00846.x
Subject(s) - medicine , diabetes mellitus , body mass index , endocrinology , type 2 diabetes , type 2 diabetes mellitus , waist , obesity , population , insulin resistance , tumor necrosis factor alpha , environmental health
Aims The cytokine tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) is involved in the development of obesity‐linked insulin resistance. TNF‐α plasma levels rise with increasing age and might thus also be related to metabolic control in Type 2 diabetes mellitus. We have studied the relationship of TNF‐α plasma levels to glycaemic control in elderly patients with Type 2 diabetes over 2 years. Methods Clinical and laboratory data of 53 patients (26 women, 27 men) with Type 2 diabetes (mean age 71.6 ± 5.6 years) were regularly evaluated over 2 years, and the relationship to anti‐diabetic treatment regimens analysed. TNF‐α plasma level was measured by a solid‐phase enzyme amplified sensitivity immunoassay. Results TNF‐α plasma levels increased significantly from 16.2 ± 9.6 pg/ml at baseline to 28.0 ± 13.8 pg/ml after 2 years ( P = 0.028). HbA 1c values also increased from 6.4 ± 1.2% to 7.7 ± 1.6% ( P = 0.046). Mean body mass index of the patients remained almost constant, while a moderate increase in the percentage of body fat (34.5 ± 7.0% to 35.3 ± 6.9%; P = 0.061) and in waist–hip ratio was observed (0.86 ± 0.04 to 0.88 ± 0.04; P = 0.052). After adjustment for covariates multivariate analysis demonstrated that TNF‐α plasma levels are positively related to the HbA 1c values of the whole study population at the baseline control and after 2 years. TNF‐α also revealed a positive correlation to the percentage of body fat. Conclusions In elderly patients with Type 2 diabetes TNF‐α plasma levels revealed a continuous increase during an observation period of 2 years. This increase in TNF‐α plasma levels might add another aspect to the worsening of glycaemic control in the progression of Type 2 diabetes. Diabet. Med. 19, 949–953 (2002)