Anti-heat shock protein 27 antibody levels and diabetes complications in the EURODIAB study

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether serum anti-heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) antibody levels are associated with micro- and macrovascular complications of type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: Anti-HSP27 IgG antibody levels were measured in 531 type 1 diabetic subjects recruited as part of the cross-sectional analysis of the EURODIAB Prospective Complications Study. Case subjects (n = 363) were defined as individuals with one or more diabetes complications and control subjects (n = 168) as individuals with no evidence of any diabetes complication. RESULTS: Anti-HSP27 levels were comparable in case and control subjects (19.6 arbitrary units/ml [11.3-32.7] vs. 20.4 arbitrary units/ml [11.7-35.3], geometric mean [interquartile range]), and there was no correlation between HSP27 and anti-HSP27 levels (r = 0.01, P = 0.81). In logistic regression analysis, anti-HSP27 was not associated with the presence of complications, even after adjustment for main risk factors. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-HSP27 antibody levels are not a marker of vascular complications in type 1 diabetes.