Clinical significance of circulating hepatocyte growth factor, a new risk marker of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with Type 2 diabetes

• Published in: Diabetic medicine 2006-06, Vol.23 (6), p.617-622
• Main Authors: Satani, K., Konya, H., Hamaguchi, T., Umehara, A., Katsuno, T., Ishikawa, T., Kohri, K., Hasegawa, Y., Suehiro, A., Kakishita, E., Namba, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Aged; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Biomarkers - blood; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Carotid Arteries - diagnostic imaging; Carotid Artery Diseases - blood; Carotid Artery Diseases - complications; Carotid Artery Diseases - diagnostic imaging; carotid atherosclerosis; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - blood; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - diagnostic imaging; Diabetes. Impaired glucose tolerance; Endocrine pancreas. Apud cells (diseases); Endocrinopathies; Etiopathogenesis. Screening. Investigations. Target tissue resistance; Female; hepatocyte growth factor; Hepatocyte Growth Factor - blood; Humans; Hypertension - blood; Hypertension - complications; Hypertension - diagnostic imaging; Linear Models; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Myocardial Ischemia - blood; Myocardial Ischemia - complications; Myocardial Ischemia - diagnostic imaging; Risk Factors; Systole; Tunica Intima - diagnostic imaging; Tunica Media - diagnostic imaging; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; Ultrasonography
• ISSN: 0742-3071; 1464-5491
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1464-5491.2006.01849.x

Aims  Recent studies have provided increasing evidence that hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) has a pathophysiological role in the development of diabetic complications. We set out to determine the relationship between serum HGF and risk factors for macroangiopathy including carotid atherosclerosis. Carotid atherosclerosis is an established and important risk factor for both cerebral and coronary artery diseases. Methods  We studied 89 patients (48 males, 41 females, mean age 62.5 ± 10.3 years) with Type 2 diabetes (DM). Results  Serum levels of HGF correlated positively with both intimal‐media thickness (IMT) (r = 0.24, P = 0.0248) and plaque score (r = 0.27, P = 0.0126). In multiple regression analysis, serum HGF was associated independently with IMT (standardized β = 0.28, P = 0.0499). We also found that both IMT and plaque score were higher in patients with ischaemic heart disease (IHD) than in patients without IHD, and that plaque score in patients with lacunar infarcts was higher than in patients without lacunar infarcts. Conclusions  Serum HGF concentration may be a new marker of atherosclerotic complications in patients with Type 2 DM.