Study on the association between interleukin-18 and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with nephropathy

Objective To investigate the relationship between interleukin-18(IL-18) and type 2 diabetic nephropathy so as to explain the mechanism of diabetic nephropathy and find a valid way to prevent and cure it.Methods The levels of serum IL-18 were determined by ELASA in 30 healthy controls and 90 cases of type 2 diabetic patients(including 60 cases with nephropathy and 30 cases without complications).Other clinical parameters were also measured.Results The levels of IL-18 were markedly elevated in type 2 diabetic nephropathy group than in type 2 diabetes without complications and normal control group(P0.05).Correlation analysis showed that the serum IL-18 concentrations were positively correlated with fasting plasma glucose,2 h post-prandialglucose,glycosylatedhemoglobin(r=0.56;0.67;0.54,P0.01).Conclusion The IL-18 detected in blood is contributed to study whether there is early damage in kidney in type 2 diabetic nephropathy.