Serum Galectin-3 and All-Cause Mortality in Type 2 Diabetes

Background and Aims: Galectin-3, a member of the multifunctional galectin family, is ubiquitously expressed and acts a broad-spectrum biological response modifier. It is involved in tissue fibrosis, tumorigenesis, immunity and inflammatory response. It can also act as a receptor for advanced glycation end products. Recent evidence suggests that galectin-3 is associated with heart failure and with progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes. We have therefore evaluated whether serum galectin-3 level is associated with all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Materials and Methods: Galectin-3 was measured in the baseline serum samples by ELISA in 1495 type 2 diabetic patients followed up in a teaching hospital specialist diabetes clinic. All-cause mortality was ascertained from hospital electronic medical records. Results: The mean age of the subjects was 55.3 ± 9.9 years and 54% were male. During a median follow-up of 11 years, 169 subjects died from all causes, and baseline serum galectin-3 levels were significantly higher in subjects with a fatal outcome (9.86 ± 3.11 ng/ml vs. 8.15 ± 2.73, p Conclusion: Elevated serum galectin-3 level was independently associated with all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes. Galectin-3 may potentially be useful as a predictor of adverse outcome. Disclosure K.C.B. Tan: None. S. Shiu: None. J.K.Y. Lam: None. A.C. Lee: None. Y. Wong: None.