Study of serum progranulin level and its relation to microvascular complications in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus

Background. Progranulin is expressed in various cells including adipocytes. Having an important role in inflammation, it could participate to development of diabetes and its complications. We aimed at assessing serum progranulin level in subjects with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and its relation to microvascular complications. Methods. 80 subjects were included: 40 subjects with T1DM with a disease duration of more than 5 years, 20 subjects with newly diagnosed T1DM, and 20 healthy subjects as a control. Microvascular complications were assessed by clinical examination and investigations. Results. The mean serum progranulin level was significantly higher in T1DM subjects with disease duration more than 5 years (77.2 +/- 159.8) and those with disease duration less than one year (12.8 +/- 16.0) comparing to healthy controls (p = 0.009, p = 0.032, respectively). However, no significant difference was found in the mean serum progranulin between the two diabetic groups (p 0.883). Serum progranulin level was significantly higher in patients with retinopathy (p <= 0.001), nephropathy (p = 0.002) and neuropathy (p = 0.007). However, in multivariate regression analysis serum progranulin was not independently associated with microvascular complications of diabetes. Conclusion. Serum progranulin is higher in T1DM than control and was not independently associated with diabetic microvascular complications.