Serum irisin level and its relation to diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Background Irisin is an adipo-myokine, which has broad implications for metabolism and energy homeostasis. However, evidence about its association with diabetic nephropathy (DN) is limited. Aim To evaluate serum irisin level and its relation to DN in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients and methods This case–control study was conducted on 60 patients with type 2 diabetes and 30 healthy age-matched and sex-matched individuals. Patients were divided into three groups according to urinary albumin–creatinine ratio (ACR), namely, normoalbuminuric group, which included 15 patients; microalbuminuric group, which included 30 patients; and macroalbuminuric group, which included 15 patients. Detailed history, clinical examination, and anthropometric measurements were assessed for all participants. Fasting blood glucose and 2-h postprandial blood glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, urea, creatinine, uric acid, estimated glomerular filtration rate, and irisin were measured for all participants. Glycosylated hemoglobin and urinary ACR were measured for patients only. Results Irisin was significantly lower in diabetic groups compared with controls. Irisin was positively correlated with estimated glomerular filtration rate but negatively correlated with fasting blood glucose, creatinine, and ACR. Multivariable regression analysis revealed that lower irisin level was considered as an independent predictor for DN. Conclusion Serum irisin is significantly related to diabetic kidney disease, and it might be progressively decreasing with development of the different stages of DN.