Assesment of serum taurine level as a potential biomarker for early diagnosis of diabetic nephropathy

Objective: Measuring of serum taurine as an early marker to detect and prevent complications of Diabetic nephropathy.

Method: Ninty diabetic patients (male and female) were chosen from Ahmed Maher hospital after their approval, eighty patients classified into four groups (diabetic control group, early stage group, before dialysis group, after dialysis group) according to its Complete clinical examination, investigation and biochemical analysis, twenty diabetic controlled patients not suffered from kidney impairment considered as diabetic control group. ten frank healthy non diabetic persons enrolled as volunteers. Complete clinical examination, investigation and biochemical analysis (liver and kidney functions, lipid profile), add to measuring Blood sugar, HbA1c, and the recent biomarker taurine, was measured for all patient and volunteers.

Results: The data showed non-significant change in lipid profile, creatinine in urine, and serum Albumine in all patients regarding to control group (P>0.05). that Liver function in all groups demonstrated non significance between groups,but values recorded significant changes in all groups of patients related to frank control group (p<0.05). Kidney function (urea – creatinine) values recorded very highly significant changes in all groups of patients related to frank control group (p<0.00), except controlled diabetic group and Early stage of diabetic nephropathy. also, there is a highly significant changes in blood glucose and HbA1c (P>0.001). On the other hand, the data showed extremely significant decrease in serum taurine in all diabetic patients according to the severity of diabetic nephropathy compared to that recorded in healthy control (P<0.000).

Conclusion: Serum taurine is reduced in diabetic patients with advanced conditions of diabetic nephropathy. Taurine Level is considered as an early marker (prognostic) to detect and prevent the diabetic nephropathy complications.