The present study aimed to assess the potential impact of serum concentration of undercarboxylated osteocalcin (the active form of osteocalcin) and fibroblast growth factor-23 on the incidence of cardiovascular diseases in type 2 diabetics with carotid artery calcification and the possible association with metabolic changes in relation to glucose and minerals homeostasis.
This study included 52 men with carotid artery calcification type 2 diabetes mellitus. These patients were categorized; as follows: group A includes 30 patients who had cardiovascular disease and group B includes 22 patients who had no cardiovascular disease. These groups were compared with 25 apparently healthy control (Group C).
It has been shown that fasting serum glucose, HbA1c, homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance and undercarboxylated osteocalcin values were significantly different in group A and B as compared with control. Also, undercarboxylated osteocalcin was negatively correlated with fasting serum glucose and HbA1c in group A and B. Furthermore, mean serum fibroblast growth factor level was significantly different among the three studied groups, with highest levels in group A.
In type 2 diabetic patients with normal kidney function and carotid artery calcification, fibroblast growth factor-23 is associated with cardiovascular disease while undercarboxylated osteocalcin does not.