Objective     To investigate the correlation of plasma apolipoprotein M (ApoM) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)-induced lower limb angiopathy (LLA). Methods      A total of 75 T2DM patients accompanied with LLA and 62 T2DM patients without LLA

who were hospitalized in our department from September 2014 to June 2016

were recruited in this study. And another 57 healthy volunteers were subjected as normal controls. Their demographical data and the results of lipid metabolism

blood biochemical test

vascular function

intima-media thickness (IMT)

lower limb CT scanning or interventional angiography were collected. Blood samples of these subjects were harvested to detect the plasma level of ApoM by ELISA. Spearman analysis was used to investigate the correlation of ApoM expression level with lipids parameters

vascular lesion and other factors. Results     There were no significant differences in demographical data and lipid metabolism among the 3 groups of subjects. The patients suffering from T2DM combined with LLA had lower ankle brachial index (ABI) and toe-brachial index (TBI) but higher IMT. The plasma ApoM level in those patients was averagely 9.4 mg/L (ranging from 6.91 to 11.74)

which was significantly lower than that of normal controls (18.45 mg/L

from 15.10 to 23.93

P0.001) and that of simple T2DM patients (15.76 mg/L

from 11.79 to 18.63

P0.001). Further correlation analysis indicated that

besides correlated with lipid parameters

the plasma ApoM level was also correlated with vascular lesion [ABI (r2=0.229)

TBI (r2=0.252)

IMT (r2=-0.247

r2=-0.259)]

hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP

r2=-0.229) and amount of smoking (r2=-0.173). Conclusion      ApoM may prevent the progression of atherosclerosis in T2DM through regulation of lipid metabolism.