Abstract
BACKGROUND: The paper aims to investigate the expression level of NLRP3 inflammasome and its related cell molecules in early diabetes kidney disease (EDKD) in the elderly and its clinical application value. METHODS: From October 2021 to April 2023, 50 elderly patients with T2DM (T2DM group), 50 elderly patients with EDKD (EDKD group) and 50 elderly people who passed the health check-up (healthy group) were chosen as the study subjects. Plasma NLRP3 inflammasome and related cells (blood leukocyte count, monocyte count, lymphocyte count) molecular (NT-proBNP and others) levels are tested, and Pearson correlation analysis is utilized to explore the correlation among plasma NLRP3 inflammasome and related cells, molecules, and renal function indicators (UACR, BUN, Ucr) in elderly patients with EDKD. RESULTS: (1) The three groups' comparison in HbA1c, FIns, HOMA-IR, UACR, BUN, Ucr, SOD, MCP-1, and TNF-a levels were with P<0.05. The levels of TG and LDL-C in the EDKD group were higher than those in the T2DM and the healthy groups; the levels of FPG, HbA1c, FINs, HOMA-IR, UACR, SOD, MCP-1, TNF-a in the EDKD and T2DM groups were higher than those in the healthy group, while SOD was smaller than that in the healthy group; the levels of BUN, Ucr, hs-CRP, FPG, HbA1c, FINs, HOMA-IR, UACR, SOD, MCP-1, TNF-a in the EDKD group were higher than those in the T2DM group, while SOD was smaller than that in the T2DM group. The above results were with P<0.05. (2) It has P<0.05 in Monocyte count, NLRP3, NT-proBNP, caspase-1, ASC and others in the three groups. Those in the EDKD and T2DM groups were higher than those in the healthy group. The levels of these indicators in the EDKD group were higher than those in the T2DM group, with P<0.05. NLRP3, Caspase-1, ASC, IL1b, and IL-18 were positively correlated with UACR, BUN, and Ucr in the EDKD group. All the above differences were P<0.05. CONCLUSIONS: NLRP3 inflammasome and its related molecules caspase-1, ASC, IL-1b, IL-18 and other levels increase in early elderly EDKD and are closely related to the severity of EDKD.