Urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor as a predictive marker for cardiac disease among type 2 diabetic patients

Abstract

Abstract Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is a progressive and chronic disease manifested by β-cell dysfunction and improved insulin resistance. Higher levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptors have been found to predict morbidity and mortality among diabetic patients with cardiac disease. Objective: This study aims to explore the role of serum urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor levels as a prognostic marker among type 2 diabetic Iraqi patients. Materials and Methods: A total of 70 type 2 diabetic patients (40 male and 30 female) (mean age: 46.20 ± 7.56 years) participated in this study; 35 patients were with cardiovascular disease and 35 were without cardiovascular disease; their ages range were 40–55 years. They were collected from Baghdad Teaching Hospital/Medical City, Baghdad, Iraq through the period from October 2022 to February 2023. Moreover, 30 individuals who were apparent healthy were selected as control group. Results: There was significant increase in blood glucose, lipid levels with their ratios, and C-reactive protein in diabetic patients as compared to the control. Also, the present results reveal high levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (2500.72 ± 12.36 vs. 2255.32 ± 10.15) ρg/mL with OR = 1.80, 95% CI: 1.2, and P = 0.0001 in type 2 diabetic patients with and without cardiovascular disease, respectively, as compared to healthy control (229.00 ± 14.48) ρg/mL. Moreover, this study reveals that female patients had higher levels of serum urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor as compared to the male patients. Conclusion: It demonstrated that urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor levels reliably predict morbidity among type 2 diabetic patients presenting with symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular disease.