Plasma galectin-3 concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate in patients with type 2 diabetes with and without albuminuria

This study aimed to investigate the association between galectin-3 concentration and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with and without albuminuria. In this cross-sectional study, we examined 334 patients with T2DM. The eGFR was calculated using a creatinine-based formula (eGFR_crea) and a combined creatinine-cystatin C equation (eGFR_crea-cyst). The participants were categorized into two groups based on the urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR): patients without albuminuria (UACR < 30 mg/g) and those with albuminuria (UACR ≥ 30 mg/g). Greater concentrations of plasma galectin-3 were associated with lower eGFR_crea-cyst and eGFR_crea levels in patients with and without albuminuria. Plasma galectin-3 concentrations were negatively correlated with eGFR_crea-cyst in patients with normoalbuminuria and albuminuria (γ = − 0.405, P < 0.001; γ = − 0.525, P < 0.001, respectively). Galectin-3 concentrations were significantly associated with eGFR_crea-cyst after adjusting for sex, age, and other confounding factors, including UACR as a categorical or continuous variable in multiple regression analyses (β = − 0.294, 95% CI − 70.804 to − 41.768, P < 0.001; β = − 0.265, 95% CI − 65.192 to − 36.550, P < 0.001, respectively). Likewise, when eGFR_crea-cyst was treated in place of eGFR_crea, this result was replicated in the correlation and regression analyses. Galectin-3 concentration was negatively associated with eGFR in patients with T2DM, independent of albuminuria status.