SERUM AMYLOID-A PROTEIN IN PATIENTS WITH NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

We determined the serum amyloid A protein (SAA) levels in patients wit h non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), and investigated th e possible association between SAA and the complications of NIDDM. The concentrations of SAA were measured in the plasma of 105 patients wit h NIDDM (52 men and 53 women, age mean +/- SD, 61 +/- 13 years) and 91 healthy subjects (37 men and 54 women, aged 57 +/- 11 years). SAA con centrations were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. SAA con centrations in the patients with NIDDM were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects (2.1 +/- 1.3 vs. 1.2 +/- 0.5 mg/L). There we re no obvious relationships between SAA levels and duration of diabete s, type of therapy, or control of blood sugar in the patients with NID DM. However, SAA levels in patients with NIDDM increased significantly , with increase of urinary albumin excretion (p = 0.027). The increase of SAA in the patients with NIDDM did not influence the serum concent rations of lipid or lipoprotein. The SAA concentration in NIDDM was un related to the type of treatment, but seemed to be related to the deve lopment of diabetic nephropathy.