Correlation Study of Peripheral Blood miR-155 and miR-146a Expression Levels with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Objective To investigate the correlation between microRNA-155 (miR-155) and microRNA-146a (miR-146a) expression in peripheral blood among patients with Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy (DPN) and assess the clinical significance of miR-155 and miR-146a in diagnosing and predicting treatment outcomes of DPN. Methods The study comprised 51 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) without DPN (T2DM group), 49 patients with T2DM and DPN (DPN group) and 50 normal controls (NC group). Levels of miR-155 and miR-146a in the peripheral blood were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Additionally, clinical features and risk factors of DPN were examined. Multivariate stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify factors influencing DPN development. The diagnostic efficacy of miR-155 and mi-R146a levels in DPN was assessed using ROC curve analysis. Results The T2DM group exhibited significantly lower expression levels of miR-155 and miR-146a compared to the NC group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the DPN group exhibited a significantly decreased expression level of miR-155 and miR-146a compared to the T2DM group (P < 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that higher levels of miR-155 and miR-146a might serve as protective factors against DPN development. ROC curve analysis revealed that miR-155 (sensitivity 91.8%, specificity 37.3%, AUC 0.641,) and miR-146a (sensitivity 57.1%, specificity 84.3%, AUC 0.722) possess a strong ability to discriminate between T2DM and DPN. Their combined use further enhanced the diagnostic potential of DPN (sensitivity 83.7%, specificity 60.8%, AUC 0.775). A multi-index combination can improve DPN diagnostic efficiency. Conclusion The decreased expression of miR-155 and miR-146a in the peripheral blood of patients with T2DM is closely associated with DPN occurrence, suggesting their potential as valuable biomarkers for the diagnosis and prognosis of DPN.