Nephropathy associated with allergies in men with type 2 diabetes

Allergies may be associated with microalbuminuria in men with type 2 diabetes, new data suggest.

“Allergy is a common disease that is increasing worldwide, so our findings may have important implications for diabetic nephropathy,” Michiaki Fukui, MD, of the department of endocrinology and metabolism at Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine in Kyoto, Japan, said in a press release.

Fukui and colleagues assessed the relationship of peripheral eosinophil count to the degree of albumin excretion rate and major cardiovascular risk factors, (age, blood pressure, serum lipid concentration, glycemic control, BMI, diabetes therapy, smoking status and presence of CV disease) in 783 patients with type 2 diabetes. Blood samples were obtained between March and May — a period of high-allergen exposure in Japan.

Eosinophil count

Researchers reported a positive association in men between eosinophil count and systolic BP (P=.0108), serum triglyceride concentration (P=.0284) and albumin excretion rate (P<.0001). However, eosinophil count was not related to albumin excretion rate in women (P=.1050).

Eosinophil count differed significantly according to diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy in men but not women, and did not differ between patients with or without CVD or those who were treated with or without insulin in both sexes.

Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that eosinophil count (P<.0001), duration of diabetes (P=.0003), HbA1c (P=.0238), systolic BP (P=.0001) and serum triglyceride concentration (P=.0038) were independent determinants of albumin excretion rate in men.

“Our data suggest a possible link between allergic disease, as manifested by elevated eosinophil count, and diabetic nephropathy in men with type 2 diabetes,” the researchers wrote. “To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a relationship and suggests new avenues for research into the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy.”

The researchers said large, prospective trials are warranted to assess the effects of allergy on diabetic nephropathy in men.

Fukui M. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2009;doi:10.2215/CJN.03330509.