Relationship between Serum Homocysteine and Other Parameters in Overt Diabetic Nephropathy

OBJECTIVE: Level of serum homocysteine is remarkably common among patients with moderate to sever renal failure. We assessed whether serum homocysteine concentrations were correlated with proteinuria in overt diabetic nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out on ۴۵ patients (۲۹ males, ۱۶ females) with overt proteinuria. All subjects had type ۲ diabetes. Data included age, sex, hypertension, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance, ۲۴-hour urine proteinuria, lipid profiles and serum homocysteine. RESULTS: The mean of serum homocysteine concentrations was ۱۸ ± ۷.۷ µmol/L (۴.۶-۴۲), having ۳۱ (۷۰%) hyperhomocysteinemia. The mean of ۲۴-hour urine proteinuria was ۱۵۱۵ ± ۹۹۶ mg, for serum creatinine ۱.۹ ± ۰.۷ mg, and for creatinine clearance, it was ۹۷ ± ۲۶.۶ mL/min. Serum homocysteine had a negative correlation with creatinine clearance (r=-۰.۴, p=۰.۰۰۷) and revealed no correlation with ۲۴-hour proteinuria (p=۰.۹). CONCLUSION: In overt nephropathy in diabetes type ۲, patients with higher homocysteine had lower creatinine clearance. However, there was no correlation between homocysteine and overt proteinuria.

Keywords:

Homocysteine , Diabetic Nephropathies , Proteinuria