Increased glycated albumin and decreased esRAGE levels are related to angiographic severity and extent of coronary artery disease in patients with type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study aimed at evaluating the possible association of serum levels of glycated albumin (GA) and endogenous secretory RAGE (esRAGE) with angiographically significant coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and non-diabetic patients.

METHODS: Serum levels of GA, esRAGE, and inflammatory markers were measured in 1320 patients undergoing coronary angiography from three large districts in Shanghai. Patients were divided into four groups based on the presence/absence of T2DM and of significant CAD (diameter stenosis >or=70%).

RESULTS: Serum levels of GA, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-6 were significantly higher and, in contrast, serum esRAGE levels were lower in patients with both T2DM and significant CAD than in all other groups (all P<0.01), whereas there were no significant differences in GA and esRAGE levels between non-diabetic patients with CAD and those without. Serum GA and esRAGE levels correlated with angiographic CAD severity (P=0.031 and P=0.001), extent (both P<0.001) and number of diseased coronary arteries (both P<0.001) in diabetic CAD patients. At multivariable regression analysis, male gender, age, hypertension, cigarette smoking, HDL-C, lipoprotein (a), GA, esRAGE, hsCRP and TNF-alpha were all independent determinants of significant CAD in diabetic patients. Moreover, male gender, age, hypertension, lipoprotein (a), GA and esRAGE remained independently associated with three-vessel disease.

CONCLUSION: Patients with T2DM and CAD feature elevated serum GA and decreased serum esRAGE levels. Here serum GA and esRAGE levels are associated with angiographic extent and severity of CAD.