Increased cutaneous carbonyl stress is linked to slower nerve conduction in patients with metabolically well-controlled, recent-onset type 2 diabetes (T2D) and can predict the development of neuropathic deficits over 5 years.
"Prospective analyses revealed some predictive value of cutaneous AGEs and lower endothelial integrity for declining nerve function, supporting the role of carbonyl stress in the development and progression of DSPN, representing a potential therapeutic target," the authors wrote.
The study was led by Gidon J. Bönhof, Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Medical Faculty, University Hospital Düsseldorf, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany. It was published online in Diabetes Care.
The observational design of the study limited the ability to draw causal conclusions. The groups were not matched for age or body mass index. Various mechanisms related to DSPN were analyzed; however, specific pathways of AGEs were not studied in detail. The relatively low number of individuals with clinically manifested DSPN limited the exploration of different stages of the condition.
The study was supported by a German Center for Diabetes Research grant. The German Diabetes Study was supported by the German Diabetes Center funded by the German Federal Ministry of Health (Berlin, Germany), the Ministry of Innovation, Science, Research and Technology of North Rhine-Westphalia (Düsseldorf, Germany), and grants from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to the German Center for Diabetes Research e.V. No relevant conflicts of interest were reported.