Relationship between cortisol and diabetic microvascular complications: a retrospective study

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Diabetology
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a complex metabolic disorder.
• Microvascular complications significantly impact patient morbidity and mortality.
• The role of serum cortisol in T2DM microvascular complications requires elucidation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the association between serum cortisol levels and microvascular complications in patients with T2DM.
• To quantify the risk of microvascular complications across different serum cortisol levels.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of hospitalized T2DM patients was recruited between 2019 and 2021.
• Serum cortisol levels were analyzed in relation to quartiles.
• Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Main Results:

• Serum cortisol levels positively correlated with the severity of microalbuminuria (OR for highest quartile: 3.396 for microalbuminuria, 8.407 for macroalbuminuria).
• Elevated cortisol was associated with diabetic retinopathy (DR), with ORs of 2.007 for non-proliferative DR and 7.122 for proliferative DR in the highest quartile.
• Higher cortisol levels were linked to diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN), with significant ORs in the third (1.854) and fourth (1.956) quartiles.

Conclusions:

• High serum cortisol levels are significantly associated with microvascular complications in hospitalized T2DM patients.
• The findings suggest a potential link between cortisol and the development or progression of diabetic microvascular disease.
• Causality between serum cortisol and diabetic microvascular complications warrants further investigation.