Objective: To evaluate the predictability of estimation of serum mannan-binding lectin (MBL) for the presence of infectious complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its relation to the extent of diabetes control.
Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the Departments of Clinical Pathology and Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Benha, Egypt from October 2009 to December 2010. Sixty adult patients with T2DM were divided into 2 groups: Group B and Group C and Group A as the control group. All subjects evaluation of insulin sensitivity (Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance [HOMA-IR]), and blood samples for estimation of fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and serum insulin, urea, creatinine, C-reactive protein (CRP), and MBL.
Results: All patients had significantly increased FBG, serum insulin, HOMA-IR index, serum CRP and MBL levels compared with the control group, with significantly higher levels in Group C. Levels of HbA1c, serum urea, and creatinine were significantly higher in patients than controls. There was a positive significant correlation between serum MBL and FBG, HOMAIR index, serum urea, creatinine, and CRP levels. The receiver operating characteristics curve analysis in infectious cases revealed high FBG, HOMA-index and serum levels of HbA1c, CRP, and MBL, while regression analysis defined elevated serum MBL levels as a significant independent predictor for the presence of infection.
Conclusion: Elevated serum MBL in T2DM patients indicated a possible poor diabetic control and bad progression of the disease with possibility of the presence, or development of diabetic nephropathy especially in combination with elevated serum CRP.