Relationship between Serum Sialic Acid and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Egyptian Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the relation between serum sialic acid and cardiovascular risk factors in Egyptian children and adolescents with uncomplicated type 1 diabetes mellitus. Subjects and Method: The study included 40 (25 males and 15 females) type 1 diabetic children aged 4 to 16 years and 20 non diabetic healthy controls with age and sex matched. All children were subjected to full clinical examination, blood pressure measurement, anthropometrical measurements (weight, height, body mass index). The children were investigated for biochemical variables: total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated hemoglobin (HbAlc) serum sialic acid (TSA) and serum creatinine. Results: There was no significant difference between mean serum TSA in type ldiabetic children (69.77±8.38) and their controls (67.77±7.7). In diabetic children, mean serum TSA was significantly higher in females (72.03±3.04) than in males (67.29±8.7) p 0.05. Significant correlations were found between serum TSA and each of diabetic duration (p,0.02), BMI (p, 0.01), cardiovascular risk factors: TC (p,0.01), TG (p, 0.001), LDL (p, 0.0001). In diabetic children mean serum TSA was significantly higher in children with family history of cardiovascular disease (p, 0.04), BMI (kg/m^2) ≥85 percentile (p, 0.03), poor glycemic control; HbAlc 9% (p, 0.02), raised LDL (p, 0.03). Conclusion: Serum TSA might be considered as a marker for cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor, especially in diabetic children.