The diagnostic value of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 in early diabetic nephropathy

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate diagnosis of lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) in early diabetic nephropathy (DN). METHODS: A total of 342 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients hospitalized in department of metabolism and nephrology in our hospital from January 2019 to December 2019 were randomly selected. Patients were divided into three groups via urine albumin level: diabetes mellitus (DM) group, simple diabetes group (114 patients, urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) < 30 mg/g); DN1 group, early DN group (114 patients, UACR: 30–300 mg/g); DN2 group: clinical DN group (114 patients, UACR > 300mg/g). Eighty healthy adults were examined at the same time. Lp-PLA2, fasting blood glucose (FBG), creatinine (Cr), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TCHOL), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood urea nitrogen/creatinine (BUN/Cr), estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), 24-h urine protein, albumin and creatinine of all subjects were detected and compared. Pearson’s correlation analysis and multiple ordered logistic regression were used to investigate the correlation between serum Lp-PLA2 level and DN. The possibility of Lp-PLA2 in the diagnosis of early DN was studied by using the subject working curve. RESULTS: Lp-PLA2 level in DN1 and DN2 groups was significantly higher than that in DM group, with statistical difference (p < .05). With the progression of DN, the level of Lp-PLA2 gradually increased p < .05. Lp-PLA2 was positively correlated with FBG, TG, LDL and HbA1c (R = 0.637, p < .01; R = 0.314, p = .01; R = 0.213, p = .01; R = 0.661, p ≤ .01), was negatively correlated with HDL (r = –0.230, p < .01). The results showed that Lp-PLA2 was an independent factor in the evaluation of early DN. The area under the curve for the evaluation of serum Lp-PLA2 level in early DN was 0.841, the optimal critical value was 155.9 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 88% and the specificity was 76.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Lp-PLA2 is an independent factor for the evaluation of early DN, and can be used as an important potential specific indicator for the diagnosis of early DN, meanwhile monitoring the progression of DN.