The Relationship Between Serum Resistin Levels and Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients

Background: Resistin reduces tissue sensitivity to insulin and causes hyperglycemia. Diabetic nephropathy is also a metabolic disorder caused by chronic hyperglycemia that causes kidney dysfunction. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between serum resistin and diabetic nephropathy in diabetic patients who referred to Imam Reza Hospital in 2018 - 2019. Methods: This case-control study recruited 30 diabetic patients with nephropathy, 29 non-nephropathy diabetic patients, and 30 healthy controls via convenience sampling. Serum and 24-hour urine samples were taken from each person. After the determination of the glomerular filtration rate, samples were tested in a laboratory. Also, data were analyzed by SPSS software version 23, and P < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Mean serum resistin was significantly different between the groups (F = 3.600, P = 0.032). Tukey’s follow-up test showed that resistin was critically higher in the diabetic nephropathy group than in the control group and healthy controls. There was a weak inverse relationship between glomerular filtration rate and serum resistin level (r = -0.233, P = 0.031). Conclusions: Levels of resistin may rise in people with diabetes associated with nephropathy. It seems that Serum resistin can be used as a biomarker to assess the severity of diabetes mellitus. Keywords: