Associations of serum anti-ganglioside antibodies and inflammatory markers in diabetic peripheral neuropathy

To investigate the associations between inflammatory markers, serum anti-ganglioside antibodies (anti-GS-ab), serum plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), C-reactive protein (CRP), and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

Study subjects were divided into three groups: normal group (N group) with 101 healthy individuals; diabetes mellitus without peripheral neuropathy group (DM group) with 87 patients; and DPN group with 178 cases. American Nicolet Viking IV electromyography was applied to detect nerve conduction velocity; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the levels of anti-GS-IgG-ab, PAI-1, and TNF-α; and immunoturbidimetry was employed to measure CRP levels.

Motor nerve conduction velocity and sensory nerve conduction velocity in the DNC group were significantly lower than in the N and DM groups (all P<0.05). Pairwise comparisons among diabetic peripheral neuropathy clinical (DPNC) levels were statistically significant (P<0.05), and the level of anti-GS-ab was positively correlated with DPNC. There were statistically significant differences in PAI-1, TNF-α, and CRP levels between the DPN group and DM and N groups (both P<0.05). Pairwise comparisons of PAI-1, TNF-α, and CRP levels among DPNC levels showed no statistical significance in volumes (P>0.05), and the concentration of anti-GS-IgM-ab was in significant positive correlated with PAI-1, TNF-α, and CRP levels.

Anti-GS-ab and inflammatory markers such as PAI-1, TNF-α, and CRP were associated with DPN and can be used as important indicators for the prediction and early diagnosis of DPN.