Abstract

To investigate the characteristics of Dickkopf 4 changes in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and its correlation with carotid atherosclerosis, is the objective of the study. A cross-sectional survey was performed and eligible patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were taken as the subjects. Lifestyle, physical measurements, blood biochemical parameters and relevant imaging examinations were collected from all participating subjects. 237 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients were included in present study and divided into four groups according to the quartiles of serum Dickkopf 4. The incidence of body mass index, fasting plasma glucose, fasting C-peptide, glycated haemoglobin, insulin resistance index, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, C-reactive protein, high-density lipoprotein, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, carotid atherosclerosis were compared between groups, p<0.05. Dickkopf 4 was positively correlated with body mass index, C-reactive protein, fasting plasma glucose, fasting C-peptide, glycated haemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein, insulin resistance index and creatinine, and negatively correlated with high-density lipoprotein and estimated glomerular filtration rate, p<0.05. Non-metabolic syndrome group and metabolic syndrome group were compared and non-carotid atherosclerosis group and carotid atherosclerosis group were compared for all the parameters (p<0.05). High Dickkopf 4 was an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome (odds ratio=2.023, 95 % confidence interval: 1.042-3.926, p=0.037). Binary logistic regression analysis, high Dickkopf 4 was an independent risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis (odds ratio=2.513, 95 % confidence interval: 1.379-2.513, p=0.003). High Dickkopf 4 is a risk factor for hypertension and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in type 2 diabetic patients and an independent risk factor for metabolic syndrome and carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetic mellitus patients.