Biomarkers May Predict Diabetes in Women

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> Biomarkers May Predict Diabetes in Women

> Reuters Health

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> NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Elevated levels of biomarkers that reflect

> abnormal functioning of cells that line blood vessels and the heart

> (endothelial dysfunction) may help doctors identify women who are at

> increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

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> These findings provide new evidence for the hypothesis that endothelial

> dysfunction precedes cardiovascular diseases and type 2 diabetes, Dr.

> B. Meigs told Reuters Health.

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> Meigs of the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and colleagues

> point out that endothelial dysfunction is seen in diabetics, but may also

> precede development of the condition. Identification of endothelial

> dysfunction as a type 2 diabetes precursor, they note, " might expand

> options for diabetes prevention and treatment. "

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> The researchers evaluated a subgroup of 737 women, who were enrolled in a

> larger ongoing study. The subjects were initially free of diabetes,

> cardiovascular disease and cancer, but eventually developed diabetes.

> These women were compared with 785 control subjects.

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> At the beginning of the study, levels of biomarkers of endothelial

> dysfunction--namely E-selectin, adhesion molecule 1 and vascular adhesion

> molecule 1--were significantly higher in cases than controls.

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> After adjusting for factors such as body mass index and smoking, those

> with the highest levels of E-selectin had a risk of diabetes 5.43 times

> that of those with the lowest levels. Higher levels of the other two

> biomarkers also correlated with increased diabetes risk.

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> Endothelial dysfunction appears to predict the development of type 2

> diabetes in women independent of other known risk factors, the

> researchers report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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> " If this hypothesis is supported by additional studies, " Meigs added,

> " endothelial dysfunction may be the fundamental abnormality underlying

> the insulin resistance syndrome. Thus, therapies which improve

> endothelial dysfunction may prove to play an important role in the

> treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. "

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