Yılmaz Ahmet, Kaymaz Tugce, Yakar Burkay, Gömleksiz Mehtap, Önalan Erhan, Gürsu Mehmet F
From the Department of Family Medicine (Yılmaz), School of Medicine, Dicle University, Diyarbakir, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics (Kaymaz), Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Nevşehir, Hacı Bektaş Veli University, Nevşehir, Department of Family Medicine (Yakar, Gömleksiz, Önalan, Gürsu), Department of Internal Medicine (Önalan), School of Medicine, Firat University, Elazig, Turkey.
Saudi Med J. 2025 Sep;46(9):1033-1038. doi: 10.15537/smj.2025.46.9.20240753.
To investigate serum levels of growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF-15), inflammatory biomarkers, and betatrophin in individuals with diabetes mellitus, both with and without complications.
A cross-sectional analysis was conducted involving patients with diabetes. Participants were categorized into 3 groups: Group 1 (30 healthy individuals without diabetes), Group 2 (30 diabetic patients without complications), and Group 3 (30 diabetic patients with complications). Blood samples were collected to assess standard biochemical parameters, as well as plasma concentrations of betatrophin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and GDF-15. All serum biomarkers were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) techniques.
Median GDF-15 concentrations were 486.96 pg/mL (range: 172.2-1272.0) in the control group, 843.9 pg/mL (range: 458.3-1393.3) in diabetics without complications, and 1794.3 pg/mL (range: 741.6-4449.5) in those with complications. The GDF-15 levels were significantly elevated in diabetic patients compared to healthy controls (<0.001), and markedly higher in patients with complications than those without (<0.001). Additionally, TNF-α, IL-6, and betatrophin levels were significantly increased in diabetic individuals relative to the control group (all <0.001).
Serum GDF-15 levels are elevated in diabetic patients compared to non-diabetic controls and are further increased in those with complications. These findings suggest that GDF-15 may serve as a potential biomarker for diabetes severity and complication risk.
研究糖尿病患者（无论有无并发症）血清中生长分化因子15（GDF-15）、炎症生物标志物和β细胞素的水平。
对糖尿病患者进行横断面分析。参与者分为3组：第1组（30名无糖尿病的健康个体）、第2组（30名无并发症的糖尿病患者）和第3组（30名有并发症的糖尿病患者）。采集血样以评估标准生化参数，以及血浆中β细胞素、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、白细胞介素-6（IL-6）和GDF-15的浓度。所有血清生物标志物均采用酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）技术进行定量。
对照组GDF-15浓度中位数为每毫升486.96皮克（范围：172.2 - 1272.0），无并发症的糖尿病患者为每毫升843.9皮克（范围：458.3 - 1393.3），有并发症的患者为每毫升1794.3皮克（范围：741.6 - 4449.5）。与健康对照组相比，糖尿病患者的GDF-15水平显著升高（<0.001），有并发症的患者明显高于无并发症的患者（<0.001）。此外，与对照组相比，糖尿病个体的TNF-α、IL-6和β细胞素水平显著升高（均<0.001）。
与非糖尿病对照组相比，糖尿病患者血清GDF-15水平升高，且有并发症的患者进一步升高。这些发现表明，GDF-15可能作为糖尿病严重程度和并发症风险的潜在生物标志物。
