Evaluation of Sialic Acid Level as a Marker for Diabetic Nephropathy in Type II Diabetes

Background: One serious consequence of diabetes mellitus is diabetic nephropathy. Increase serum sialic acid, an acute phase reactant signifies the underlying inflammatory process before albuminuria develops. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive usefulness of "serum sialic acid" in type 2 diabetic patients' early nephropathy identification. Methods: Seventy-four patients with type 2 diabetes were included in this case-control study and split into two groups: Group I consisted of 37 individuals with type 2 diabetes who did not have diabetic nephropathy; their average age was mean±sd =60.8±5. Group 2 comprises 37 individuals with diabetic nephropathy and type 2 diabetes, with an average age of 60±9.1 years. This group was further classified into: group 2(a); diabetic nephropathy patients with microalbuminuria. group 2(b); diabetic nephropathy patients with macroabluminuria. Serum creatinine, serum urea, urine albumin/creatinine ratio, hemoglobin A1c, extremely sensitive CRP, lipid profile, Glomerular Filtration Rate, serum sialic acid, and fasting and postprandial blood sugar were all measured in blood samples. Results: Compared to the group of diabetics without nephropathy, the group with nephropathy had considerably more sialic acid. There was no significant correlation between serum sialic acid and Hb A1c, HDL–C, AST, ALT, or alkaline phosphatase in the diabetic nephropathic group, but there was a significant negative correlation with estimated GFR and a significant positive correlation with BMI, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL-C, uric acid, urea, creatinine, CRP, and UACR. Conclusion: In diabetic nephropathy, sialic acid can be utilized as a marker of renal dysfunction, reducing morbidity and death.