Objective: To investigate The relationship between glycemic control and serum levels of carbohydrate antigen 19– 9 (CA19-9) and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in patients with type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
Methods: A total of 211 patients with T2DM who were hospitalized were enrolled and divided into two groups according to the glycosylated hemoglobin A_lC (HbA_lC) levels: Group A (HbA_lC ≥ 7.5%) and Group B (6.5% < HbA_lC < 7.5%). Additionally, 68 subjects with healthy physical examination results were selected as the control group (Group C). The differences in the clinical biochemical indicators of the three groups were compared as well as the analysis of the indicators related to CA19-9 and CEA.
Results: The levels of CA19-9 and CEA were highest in Group A and were lowest in the control group (P < 0.05). The levels of CA19-9 and CEA were significantly higher in the two T2DM groups compared with the control group (P < 0.01). The levels of FINS, FCP, and LDH in group A were higher than those in groups B and C (P < 0.05). The levels of HDL and BUN in groups A and B were lower, while the TSH and U-MA levels were higher than those in group C (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the levels of TC, TG, and Cr among the groups (P > 0.05). A correlation analysis revealed that both CA19-9 and CEA were positively correlated with HbA_lC (P < 0.01). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that HbA₁C and BUN were influencing factors for serum CA19-9 levels (P < 0.05), and HbA₁C and U-MA were influencing factors for serum CEA levels (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: Both CA19-9 and CEA might be elevated at low levels in patients with T2DM; levels were closely correlated to the degree of glycemic control.
Keywords: diabetes mellitus type 2, tumor marker, carbohydrate antigen 19-9, carcinoembryonic antigen, glycosylated hemoglobin, influencing factor