Serum Angiogenin Levels in Children and Adolescents (Youngsters) With Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (Iddm)

Background: Angiogenin, a normal human plasma constituent, is a potent inducer of angiogenesis. Microangiopathy is a major complication of DM and, as shown in the case of diabetic retinopathy, it is associated with angiogenesis. This study aimed at exploring the tendency for neovascularization by determining serum angiogenin levels (SAL) in youngsters with IDDM and by correlating these levels with duration of diabetes (DD) in years (y) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA₁₀)%. Subjects: Fourty youngsters with IDDM and 26 normal controls aged (y): (mean ±SD and range) respectively: 14.3±3.6 (5.5-21.5) and 11.0±4.8 (6-21) were studied. Interventions: Three ml of blood were drawn from all subjects and SAL were measured by ELISA using a commercial kit.Results: Significantly higher SAL (μg/L) were found by multiple regression in youngsters with IDDM than in controls (mean ±SD respectively: 356±135 and 250±46.7, p<0.0003), while SAL did not depend on age (in both groups), DD and HbA₁₀.Conclusion: This new observation of the elevated SAL in youngsters with IDDM eventually could reflect a spurious neovascularization consequent to microangiopathy.