Correlation of serum retinol binding protein 4 and cystatin C with pigmented pretibial pathes in type 2 diabetes mellitus

A total of 165 type 2 diabetic patients were divided into two groups with pigmented pretibial pathes(PPP group)and no PPP(NPPP group). 50 subjects with normal glucose regulation were used as a control group(NGR group). The records of sex, age, diabetes duration, body mass index(BMI), systolic blood pressure(SBP), diastolic blood pressure, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low density lipoprotein-cholesterol, fasting blood glucose(FBG), 2 h postpradial plasma glucose(2hPG), triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol, HbA1C, retinol binding protein 4(RBP4), cystatin C(Cys C)were analyzed. The results showed that BMI, FBG, 2hPG, TG, and Cys C levels in NPPP group were higher than those in NGR group(all P<0.01). The levels of BMI, SBP, FBG, 2hPG, TG, Cys C, and RBP4 in PPP group were higher than those in NGR group(P<0.01 or P<0.05), while diabetes duration, FBG, 2hPG, HbA1C, Cys C, and RBP4 in PPP group were higher than those in NPPP group(P<0.01). Pearson correlation analysis revealed that serum RBP4 and Cys C were in linear positive correlation(r=0.77, P<0.01). The areas under receiver operating characteristic curve of RBP4 and Cys C were 0.81 and 0.78, respectively(P<0.01). The results of binary logistic regression analysis showed that diabetes duration, HbA1C, RBP4 were related to PPP(r=0.37, 0.26, 0.22, P<0.05 or P<0.01). Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Pigmented pretibial pathes; Retinol binding protein 4; Cystatin C