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Somatomedin-C (Sm-C). Study in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy

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In the present study we evaluated somatomedin-C (Sm-C) plasma levels in diabetic patients, with and without retinopathy. One hundred and thirty four diabetic patients (65 type I and 69 type II) and 90 controls, strictly matched for age and sex, were enrolled in the study. Ophthalmoscopy and fluorescein angiography allowed to distinguish: 49 patients without retinopathy, 45 patients with background retinopathy, and 40 with proliferative retinopathy. Growth hormone (GH) and Sm-C plasma levels were measured using a pool of 20–24 blood samples over 24h. Sm-C levels in type I (0.62±0.11 U/ml) and type II (0.56±0.09 U/ml) patients were significantly decreased (p<0.01) when compared to controls (0.89±0.30 U/ml). The mean daily secretion of GH was significantly (p<0.01) greater in diabetic patients (7.8±2.6 ng/ml) than in controls (4.1±1.5 ng/ml), but no correlation was found between Sm-C and GH (r=0.15; p=n.s.). Our findings did not show any correlation between Sm-C plasma levels and either the existence of retinopathy, regardless of the degree of microvascular damage, or duration of the disease, or degree of metabolic control, as evaluated by HbA1c.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cattedra di Endocrinologia, Clinica Medica III, Università degli Studi di Bari, Bari, Italy

    Giovanni M. Nardelli, Edoardo Guastamacchia, Salvatore Di Paolo, Anna Balice, Maura Rosco, Giuseppe Santoro, Giovanna Lollino & Riccardo Giorgino

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  1. Giovanni M. Nardelli
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  2. Edoardo Guastamacchia
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  3. Salvatore Di Paolo
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  4. Anna Balice
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Nardelli, G.M., Guastamacchia, E., Paolo, S.D. et al. Somatomedin-C (Sm-C). Study in diabetic patients with and without retinopathy. Acta diabet. lat 26, 217–224 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02581388

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02581388

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