Correlation between C-Peptide Level and Chronic Microvascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Sudanese Patients

摘要

Background: C-peptide is a by-product of insulin biosynthesis released in the circulation in amount equimolar with that of insulin; therefore C-peptide has been used as an index of insulin secretion and its potential role as a predictor of pancreatic and colorectal cancer and kidney disease have been questioned. The relation between C-peptide and diabetic complications attracted the attention of many investigators but not well established yet. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between the level of C-peptide and the diabetic microvascular complications in Sudanese patients. Patients and Methods: One hundred and eighty-one type 2 diabetic patients, 61% males and 39% females, aged more than 30 years were recruited from different Khartoum hospitals and studied cross-sectionally. Levels of blood C-peptide and HbA1C were measured with commercially available ELISA kit, and the diabetic complications were determined subjectively by experienced physicians. Results: Patients with no complications showed the highest prevalence 33.7% followed by peripheral neuropathy 33.1%, retinopathy 21.2% and finally nephropathy 11%. Both no-complications (9.05 ± 3.288) and retinopathy (9.10 ± 3.34) groups showed similar level of C-peptide, P value = 0.939. While nephropathy group (5.50 ± 3.73) and peripheral neuropathy (6.60 ± 3.02) showed significantly low levels as compared to that of no complication, P value = 0.000. On the other hand, level of HbA1C showed difference between retinopathy and nephropathy when compared to no complication group but not the peripheral neuropathy. Conclusion: The results of the present study suggest that the most prevalent diabetic complication in Sudanese patients is peripheral neuropathy, and the association between C-peptide and diabetic complications is more prominent with nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy rather than retinopathy.