Albumin-Creatinine Ratio is More Diagnostic Sensitive than Cystatin-C in Assessment of Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy

Abstract

BK Myke-Mbata, SC Meludu, CE Dioka and PHO Amodu

Background: Diabetic Peripheral neuropathy is one of the most common cardiovascular complications among diabetes mellitus patients and occurs in more than half of the population of diabetic patients world-wide. It is a common cause of foot ulcer, gangrene and amputation among diabetics. Thus, its prevention or early treatment can improve the quality of life of diabetic patients. In a bid to reduce it, various biochemical markers have been evaluated to enable early treatment and amelioration of diabetic neuropathy among diabetes mellitus patients.
Aim: Evaluation of the diagnostic relevance of Cystatin-C versus Albumin-creatinine ratio in assessment of Peripheral neuropathy in diabetic type 2 subjects.
Method: 102 type 2 DM subjects (66 females and 36 males) and 100 control subjects of same age range (40 – 80 years) were recruited for this study which includes 51 subjects with peripheral neuropathy and 51 subjects without peripheral neuropathy. Serum Cystatin-C, Microalbuminuria, Urine creatinine and HBA1c were analysed with standard methods.
Results: Cystatin-C, Microalbuminuria, Albumin-creatinine ratio and Glycated haemoglobin were significantly elevated (P<0.05) in diabetic subjects compared to the control. Cystatin-C (ng/ml), microalbuminuria (mg/l), albumin creatinine ratio (mg/mmol) and HBA1c (%) is [105.52 ± 45.11; 90.07±20.29; 10.48 ± 4.82; 6.9±1.7] respectively. Microalbuminuria, albumin creatinine ratio showed significant increase (P<0.05) in subjects with peripheral neuropathy compared to those subjects without [92.11± 22.82; 35.70±16.35; 2.61±1.1; 6.38±1.79]. The ROC curve shows that Albumin-creatinine ratio showed significant (P<0.05) sensitivity to peripheral neuropathy [AUC=0.714] while Cystatin-C showed no significant (P<0.05) sensitivity to peripheral neuropathy complication [AUC=0.553].
Conclusion: Cystatin-C was found to be deranged in diabetics. However, Albumin-creatinine ratio showed more diagnostic sensitivity for peripheral neuropathy than Cystatin-C.

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