Circulating angiopoietin-2 levels in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus: relation to carotid and aortic intima-media thickness.

BACKGROUND: Angiopoietin-2 is a growth factor involved in the pathophysiology of vascular and inflammatory diseases such as arteriosclerosis. Carotid or aortic scans provide noninvasive screening tools for assessment of preclinical atherosclerosis in high-risk children. AIM: We assessed serum angiopoietin-2 in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus as a potential marker for vascular complications in relation to glycemic control, inflammation and vascular structure.
METHODS: Sixty patients with type 1 diabetes were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of micro-vascular complications and compared with 30 healthy controls. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), urinary albumin/creatinine ratio, serum angiopoietin-2, carotid and aortic intima-media thickness (CIMT and AIMT) were measured.
RESULTS: CIMT, AIMT and serum angiopoietin-2 levels were significantly increased in patients with and without micro-vascular complications compared with controls, and the highest levels were in patients with complications (p < 0.001). Angiopoietin-2 was higher in patients with microalbuminuria than normoalbuminuric group (p < 0.001). Fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, hs-CRP, CIMT and AIMT were independently related to angiopoietin-2 in multiple regression analysis. Disease duration, hyperglycemia, poor glycemic control, hypercholesterolemia, inflammation and angiopoietin-2 were independent factors contributing to atherosclerosis risk.
CONCLUSION: The relation between angiopoietin-2 and assessed parameters of vascular structure in type 1 diabetes reflects a state of endothelial injury and highlights the role of disturbed angiogenesis and vascular inflammation in the occurrence of diabetic complications.