Hepatocyte growth factor is a significant risk factor for white matter lesions in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND

The presence of white matter lesions (WML) is an important prognostic factor for the development of stroke. Elevated hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) levels are associated with a high mortality rate in type 2 diabetic patients. The preliminary study was therefore designed to test the hypothesis that the presence of WML correlates with HGF and insulin resistance in type 2 diabetic patients not receiving insulin treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Based on brain magnetic resonance imaging, 92 type 2 diabetic patients were divided into two groups: WML-positive group (age 60 +/- 5 years, mean +/- SD, n = 35) and WML-negative group (age 59 +/- 6 years, mean +/- SD, n = 57. The level of blood glucose was assessed by fasting plasma glucose, fasting immunoreactive insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c).

RESULTS

The body mass index was higher in the WML-positive group than that in the WML-negative group (P < 0.005). Plasma levels of triglycerides were higher while high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was lower in the WML-positive group than in the WML-negative group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.0001 respectively). Fasting plasma glucose (P < 0.0001), insulin concentrations (P < 0.0001), HOMA index (P < 0.0001) and HGF (< 0.0001) levels were higher in the WML-positive group than in the WML-negative group. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that WML was independently predicted by the high HGF and insulin resistance (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.0001 respectively).

CONCLUSION

The results of this preliminary study indicate that the presence of WML was associated with the high HGF and insulin resistance in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.