Correlations of creatine and six related pyrimidine metabolites and diabetic nephropathy in Chinese type 2 diabetic patients

ObjectivesThe assessment of the clinical significance of creatine, cytosine, cytidine, uridine, thymine, thymidine, and 2′-deoxyuridine concentrations in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and diabetic nephropathy (DN) for the detection of the relationship between pyrimidine metabolites and disease.Design and methodsThe study group consisted of 119 subjects, which were divided to three groups: control (n = 31), type 2 diabetes without nephropathy (DM, n = 23), and with nephropathy (DN, n = 65). Levels of related metabolites were measured in plasma of all participants.ResultsThere is a significant increase in levels of cytosine (P < 0.001), cytidine (P < 0.001), and thymidine (P = 0.016) with DN compared to DM. The levels of uridine, thymine, 2′-deoxyuridine, and creatine did not change.ConclusionsThe levels of cytosine, cytidine, and thymidine may be useful for monitoring the progression of DM and evaluating the treatment.