Serum neurofilament light chain - A potential biomarker for polyneuropathy in type 2 diabetes?

Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2023 Nov:205:110988. doi: 10.1016/j.diabres.2023.110988. Epub 2023 Oct 30.

Abstract

Aims: To investigate the relationship between neurofilament light chain (NfL) and the presence and severity of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN).

Methods: We performed cross-sectional analysis of data from 178 participants of the ADDITION-Denmark cohort of people with screen-detected type 2 diabetes and 32 healthy controls. Biobank serum samples were analyzed for NfL using single-molecule array. DPN was defined by Toronto criteria for confirmed DPN. Original and axonal nerve conduction study (NCS) sum z-scores were used as indicators of the severity of DPN and peripheral nerve damage.

Results: 39 (21.9%) participants had DPN. Serum NfL (s-NfL) was significantly higher in participants with DPN (18.8 ng/L [IQR 14.4; 27.9]) than in participants without DPN (15.4 ng/L [IQR 11.7; 20.1]). There were no unadjusted s-NfL differences between controls (17.6 ng/L [IQR 12.7; 19.8]) and participants with or without DPN. Higher original and axonal NCS sum z-scores were associated with 10% higher s-NfL (10.2 and 12.1% [95% CI's 4.0; 16.8 and 6.6; 17.9] per 1 SD). The AUC of s-NfL for DPN was 0.63 (95% CI 0.52; 0.73).

Conclusions: S-NfL is unlikely to be a reliable biomarker for the presence of DPN. S-NfL is however associated tothe severity of the nerve damage underlying DPN.

Keywords: Biomarkers; Diabetic complications; Diabetic polyneuropathy; Neurofilaments; Type 2 diabetes.

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2* / complications
  • Humans
  • Intermediate Filaments
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases* / complications
  • Polyneuropathies* / diagnosis
  • Polyneuropathies* / etiology

Substances

  • Biomarkers