Clinical Implications of Serum NT-pro Brain Natriuretic Peptides in Type1 Diabetes with Positive Antiviral Antibodies

Abstract

Subclinical cardiovascular disease is common in diabetes mellitus and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular events including heart failure. This study was aimed to assess the association of NT-proBNP as a marker of heart failure and antiviral antibodies in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1D). One hundred and forty-seven T1D patients (65 male and 82 female) and 24 (11 male and 13 female) non-diabetic control subjects were admitted in the study. Fasting venous blood samples were obtained from patients and the sera were separated for determination of NT-proBNP, IgG antibody against rubella, cytomegalovirus, and coxsacki virus. Serum NT-proBNP was determined using the technique of Enzyme Linked Fluorescent Assay (ELFA) and ELISA-based determination of serum IgG antibody (I.U./mL) against rubella virus and cytomegalovirus coxsacki virus. Seventy-two patients expressed positive antiviral antibody titer; anti-rubella IgG (24), anti-cytomegalovirus IgG (18) and anti-Coxsackie IgG (36). Serum level of NT-proBNP higher than 300 pg /mL reported in 14 patients (9.5%) indicated mild-severe heart failure. Significant association between the positive anti-rubella IgG and higher level of serum NT-proBNP (odd ratio 2.013) and significant correlation (r = 0.555) between the serum level of NT-proBNP and anti-cytomegalovirus IgG were observed. It is concluded that serum NT-proBNP is significantly increased in T1D patients with positive antiviral antibodies in absence of clinical symptoms related to heart failure.