Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 13, 2026
An Ex Vivo Tissue Culture Model for Fibrovascular Complications in Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy
Published on: January 25, 2019
Circulating angiogenic factors in diabetes patients in a tertiary hospital in Ghana
Kwame Yeboah1, Eric Kyei-Baafour2, Daniel A Antwi1
1Department of Physiology, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P O Box KB143, Korle-Bu, Accra, Ghana.
Insights
Diabetes and hypertension significantly elevate angiopoietin (Ang)-1 and Ang-2 levels, crucial for blood vessel growth. Low estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) is linked to higher Ang-2, indicating impaired kidney function in these patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Research
- Nephrology
- Endocrinology
Background:
- Impaired angiogenesis contributes to organ damage in diabetes and hypertension.
- Angiopoietin (Ang)-1, Ang-2, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are key angiogenic factors.
- Understanding these factors' role in renal function is crucial for at-risk populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the levels of Ang-1, Ang-2, and VEGF in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and hypertension.
- To determine the relationship between these angiogenic factors and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
- To assess the impact of combined diabetes and hypertension on angiogenic factor levels and renal function.
Main Methods:
- Case-control study involving 107 T2DM patients and 93 controls.
- Measurement of plasma glucose, lipids, creatinine, Ang-1, Ang-2, and VEGF.
- Calculation of eGFR using CKD-EPI; low eGFR defined as <60 ml/min/1.73 m².
- Multivariable logistic regression to analyze associations.
Main Results:
- Elevated Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels were observed in hypertensive T2DM patients, followed by those with T2DM or hypertension alone.
- Patients with both diabetes and hypertension showed significantly increased odds of elevated Ang-2 levels.
- Low eGFR was associated with increased Ang-2 levels, even after adjusting for other risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Diabetes and hypertension independently and combinedly increase Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels.
- Low eGFR is significantly associated with elevated Ang-2 levels in patients with diabetes and/or hypertension.
- These findings highlight the role of angiogenic factors in the progression of kidney damage in these conditions.
Background:
Impaired angiogenesis is amongst the underlining mechanisms of organ damage in diabetes and hypertensive patients. In diabetes and hypertensive patients without proteinuria and overt CVDs, we studied the levels of angiogenic growth factors, angiopoietin (Ang)-1, Ang-2 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and the relationship between these angiogenic growth factors and renal function, measured as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).
Method:
In a case control design, 107 type 2 diabetes (T2DM) patients and 93 non-diabetes controls were recruited into the study. Levels of plasma glucose, lipids, creatinine and angiogenic growth factors; Ang-1, Ang-2 and VEGF measured from fasting blood samples. Estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was computed using Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) algorithm and eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m2 was considered to be low. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess the odds of change in angiogenic growth factors among patients with diabetes and hypertension, and patients with low eGFR, compared to those without these conditions.
Results:
In a total of 200 participants with 49 % females and mean age of 54.1 ± 10.2 years, 22.7 % of T2DM patients and 13.3 % of non-diabetes participant had low eGFR. The levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 were highest in hypertensive T2DM patients, followed by patients with either T2DM or hypertension alone, with the controls having the lowest levels. The odds of change in circulating Ang-2 levels increased in patients with both diabetes and hypertension [11.76 (7.97-16.63), p < 0.01] compared to patients with either diabetes [5.45 (3.31-9.71), p = 0.02] or hypertension [5.45 (3.31-9.71), p = 0.02] alone. Compared to those with normal eGFR, the odds of change in serum Ang-2 levels were increased in patients with low eGFR in both the crude [1.26 (1.08-2.110), p = 0.023] and adjusted [1.14 (1.03-2.34), p = 0.043] regression models.
Conclusion:
In our study population, having diabetes and hypertension increased the levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2. Also, low eGFR status was associated with increased levels of Ang-2 after adjustment for other risk factors.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Regulation of Angiogenesis and Blood Supply
01:10Mechanism of Angiogenesis