Association between the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products and diabetes mellitus: systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and AimsIn both type 1 diabetes (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes (T2DM), previous studies have yielded inconsistent findings regarding whether the levels of the soluble receptor for advanced glycation end products (sRAGE) are significantly altered. This meta-analysis aims to systematically evaluate the changes of sRAGE levels in patients with T1DM and T2DM.MethodsPubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched from inception until April 2024. We included studies reporting sRAGE levels in individuals with T1DM or T2DM, using non-diabetic healthy individuals as the control group. A random-effects model was applied to conduct a meta-analysis of effect measures (means and SDs).Results49 datasets from 32 studies, involving 4948 subjects, met the inclusion criteria. A random-effects model meta-analysis showed that sRAGE levels in T1DM subjects (SMD 0.45, CI: 0.16-0.73, P = 0.002) and T2DM subjects with complications (SMD 1.59, CI: 0.77-2.41, P = 0.0001) were significantly higher than those in the control groups. No statistically significant change in sRAGE levels was observed in T2DM subjects without complications (SMD 0.01, CI: -0.61-0.64, P = 0.97). A decrease in sRAGE levels was observed in subjects with newly diagnosed T2DM (SMD-0.40, CI: -0.71- -0.09, P = 0.01).ConclusionThis meta-analysis indicated that sRAGE levels increased in T1DM patients and T2DM patients with complications, while they decreased in newly diagnosed T2DM patients. No significant difference was observed in T2DM patients without complications. Clearly, changes in sRAGE levels in patients with T1DM or T2DM are not uniform, but depend on the different types and stages of the disease.Prospero Registration Number: CRD42024521252.