Key result
Higher serum sclerostin predicts ~13% greater peripheral arterial stiffness risk in T2DM.
Why the study?
Sclerostin and DKK1 inhibit the canonical Wnt/beta-catenin signaling pathway regulating vascular calcification, but their correlation with peripheral arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus required investigation.
Are serum sclerostin and DKK1 levels associated with peripheral arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus?
Are serum sclerostin and DKK1 levels associated with peripheral arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus?
Higher serum sclerostin levels are independently associated with increased peripheral arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Hypothesis-generating for sclerostin in PAS among T2DM patients; prospective studies needed before clinical adoption.
Background and Objectives: Sclerostin or dickkopf-1 (DKK1) inhibits the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which regulates vascular calcification and may contribute to the development of arterial stiffness. The brachial–ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) measures peripheral arterial stiffness (PAS). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between sclerostin and DKK1 levels and PAS in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Materials and Methods: Biochemical data and sclerostin and DKK1 levels were analyzed in the fasting blood samples of 125 patients with T2DM. baPWV measurements using the VaSera VS-1000 automatic pulse wave analyzer classified patients with values > 18.0 m/s on either side into the PAS group. Results: Among patients with T2DM, 47 (37.6%) were classified as having PAS. These patients exhibited higher hypertension prevalence (p = 0.002); greater age (p < 0.001); elevated systolic (p < 0.001) and diastolic blood (p = 0.012) pressures; and increased fasting glucose (p = 0.001), glycated hemoglobin (p = 0.008), triglyceride (p = 0.001), blood urea nitrogen (p < 0.001), and creatinine (p = 0.001) levels, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (p = 0.039), and C-reactive protein (p = 0.024) and serum sclerostin (p < 0.001) levels, but decreased estimated glomerular filtration rate (p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified serum sclerostin level (odds ratio, 1.127; 95% confidence interval, 1.058–1.200; p < 0.001) as an independent PAS predictor in patients with T2DM. Serum log-transformed sclerostin levels were positively correlated with left (p = 0.005) and right (p = 0.001) baPWV via Spearman’s rank-order correlation coefficient analysis. Conclusions: Serum sclerostin levels, but not DKK1 levels, are positively correlated with PAS in patients with T2DM.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Hsu et al. (2026) studied this question. Higher serum sclerostin levels independently predict peripheral arterial stiffness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (OR 1.127, 95% CI 1.058-1.200).
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: