Is calprotectin a novel biomarker of neuroinflammation in diabetic periferal neuropathy?

BACKGROUND: In the present study, we aimed to investigate serum calprotectin levels in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, and possible role of this molecule in the disease pathogenesis. METHOD: Twenty nine patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy, 30 type 2 diabetic patients without neuropathy, and 40 healthy controls were enrolled in the study. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), high-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein- cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol, triglyceride, HbA1c, calprotectin and hsCRP levels were measured in diabetic and healthy control groups. RESULTS: Serum calprotectin and hsCRP levels were significantly higher in patients with and without neuropathy than healthy controls (p < 0.001, p = 0.017, p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). Serum calprotectin and hsCRP levels were higher in diabetics with neuropathy than the ones without (p = 0.021 and p < 0.001, respectively). The positive correlation was detected between calprotectin levels and hsCRP and HbA1c in Spearman correlation analysis (r = 0.510, p < 0.001; r = 0.437, p < 0.001 respectively). The results of multiple logistic regression analysis demonstrated the important association between neuropathy development and hsCRP and serum calprotectin levels in diabetic individuals. CONCLUSION: Seum calprotectin levels were increased in diabetic peripheral neuropathy. It may have a role in the pathogenesis of the disease. ELECTRONIC SUPPLEMENTARY MATERIAL: The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13098-015-0030-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.