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Elevated serum free light chains predict cardiovascular events in type 2 diabetes
Srikanth Bellary1, Jeffrey M Faint2, Lakhvir K Assi2
1Aston Research Centre for Healthy Ageing, Aston University, Birmingham, U.K.Diabetes Centre, Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, U.K. s.bellary@aston.ac.uk.
Diabetes Care
|April 19, 2014
Summary
Elevated combined free light chains (cFLC) are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) events in type 2 diabetes patients. This finding suggests cFLC may be a new marker for CVD risk in this population.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Elevated polyclonal serum immunoglobulin free light chains (FLCs) are associated with adverse clinical outcomes and increased mortality.
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major complication in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between combined FLCs (cFLC) and CVD events in South Asian patients with type 2 diabetes.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study of 352 South Asian patients with type 2 diabetes.
- Serum cFLC, hsCRP, and standard biochemistry were measured.
- CVD events were recorded over 2 years and assessed using multiple logistic regression.
Main Results:
- cFLC levels were significantly elevated in patients with CVD events (50.7 vs. 42.8 mg/L; P = 0.004).
- Elevated cFLC (>57.2 mg/L) was associated with CVD outcomes (OR 3.3; P = 0.012) in multivariate analysis.
- This association remained significant after adjusting for traditional risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Elevated cFLC is a novel marker for CVD outcomes in type 2 diabetes.
- Further investigation of cFLC as a CVD risk marker is warranted.
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