A Correlation Between Microalbuminuria and Anti-Insulin Antibodies in Type I Diabetics

Summary

A link between circulating anti-insulin antibodies and diabetic glomerulopathy has been suggested. This paper presents two different studies aiming to detect a relationship between incipient nephropathy (indicated by microalbuminuria) and anti-insulin antibodies. In 64 type I diabetics, overnight urinary albumin excretion during an exercise-test was found to be correlated with systolic blood pressure (r = 0.258 p < 0.05), anti-insulin antibodies (r = 0.258 p < 0.05), and glycosylated hemoglobin (r = 0.258 p < 0.05) whereas no correlation was found among these three parameters. In another group of 80 type I diabetics, urinary albumin excretion during a standardized exercise-test was also correlated with anti-insulin antibodies (r = 0.360 p < 0.001). In this latter group, diabetics with elevated (> 200 μU/ml) levels of anti-insulin antibodies had higher values of microalbuminuria after exercise (p < 0.001) when compared to those with lower or undetectable levels, although they did not differ with respect to blood pressure and glycemic control. Therefore, we confirm preliminary reports indicating a statistical relationship between anti-insulin antibodies and microalbuminuria. We hypothesize that anti-insulin antibodies may be an additional factor of risk in the pathogenesis of early (reversible) stages of diabetic nephropathy.

Key-Words

Diabetes - Microalbuminuria - Insulin-antibodies