Possible significance of advanced glycation end products in serum in end-stage renal disease and in late complications of diabetes.

Advanced glycation end products were determined immunologically in blood from diabetics, patients with renal failure and subjects with various other diseases. Elevation of advanced glycation end products levels in serum is not confined to the diabetic state but was also observed in some severely ill subjects. Patients with end-stage renal disease on dialysis displayed high advanced glycation end products levels in serum, irrespective of the presence or absence of diabetes. In contrast, advanced glycation end products levels in uraemic subjects not treated by dialysis were not different from controls. In diabetics, levels of advanced glycation end products were related to the state of late complications. Diabetics without sequelae showed advanced glycation end products within the normal range, whereas in the presence of late complications mean advanced glycation end products levels were elevated. In the case of retinopathy the increase in advanced glycation end products was associated with the severity of retinal status.