Serum Insulin Like Growth Factor-1 in Diabetic Patients with Macrovascular Complications

The incidence of cerebrovascular, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and peripheral vascular disease in patients with type 2 diabetes is approximately twice as high as in the non-diabetic populations. Conventional cardiovascular risk factors such as plasma lipids, lipoproteins and hypertension only partially explain this excessive risk of developing atherosclerosis and CVD.IGF-1 is an important metabolic regulatory hormone. Thus the premature and progressive decline in serum IGF-I bioactivity in ageing patients with type 2 diabetes is an important pathophysiological abnormality. It contributes not only to elevated glucose and lipid levels, but also to the progression and the poor outcome of cardiovascular disease (CVD).The objective of this study is to evaluate the level of IGF- 1 in diabetic patients with macrovascular complications. Patients and Methods: The study was conducted on 30 patients with type 2 diabetes with macrovascular complications, 30 patients with type 2 diabetes without macrovascular complications and 20 persons as a control group, the following investigations were done: Fasting and postprandial blood sugar, lipid profile (LDL,HDL cholesterol and triglycerides), liver and kidney function tests and serum IGF-I.Results: Our results showed no significant difference as regard IGF-I levels in type 2 diabetic patients without macrovascular complications compared to control group, but there were significant difference as regard IGF-I levels in diabetic patients with macrovascular complications compared to control group. Also it showed no correlation of serum level of IGFI with either blood sugar or blood lipids.Conclusions: We concluded that: • Serum levels of IGF-I was decreased in diabetic patients with macro vascular complications.• There were no correlations between serum levels of IGF-I and other risk factors of macrovascular complications as blood sugar and blood lipids.