Copeptin as a dual biomarker in type 2 diabetes: association with glycemic control and diabetic kidney disease

Theodor Bilharz Research Institute

Bibliographic Information

Authors: Rakha N.K.; Fayed A.; Ramiz S.A.; ElSayed E.; Al-Dawy S.A.; Bolis F.M.; Fathy A.; Abouzeid S.; Darwish R.A.; Gomaa M.; Elsheimy H.A.

Journal: BMC Endocrine Disorders

Publisher: BioMed Central Ltd

Publication Date: 19 February 2026

Volume / Issue: Volume 26 / Issue 1

Article No.: 85

ISSN: 14726823

DOI: 10.1186/s12902-026-02182-5

Scopus: View on Scopus

PubMed: 41715079

Document Type: Article

Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access


Authors and Affiliations

Rakha N.K., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Fayed A., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt, Cairo University Hospitals, Al-Saray St., El-Maniel, Cairo, 11562, Egypt; Ramiz S.A., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; ElSayed E., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Al-Dawy S.A., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Bolis F.M., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Fathy A., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Abouzeid S., Nephrology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Cairo, Egypt; Darwish R.A., Nephrology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Gomaa M., Endocrinology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt; Elsheimy H.A., Endocrinology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Kasr Alainy School of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt


Abstract

Background: Chronic kidney disease and end-stage renal disease are significantly contributed by diabetes mellitus (DM), especially diabetes mellitus type 2 (T2DM). A stable surrogate marker of vasopressin, the serum copeptin, has become a potential biomarker of poor glycemic control and diabetic kidney disease (DKD). The research objective is to estimate the usefulness of the serum copeptin as a marker of glycemic status and its correlation with DKD in patients with T2DM. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 60 participants at Cairo University Hospital between 2021 and 2022. Participants were divided into 40 T2DM patients (26 males, 14 females; mean age 52.62 ± 9.7 years) and 20 healthy controls. Diabetic patients were further categorized into controlled (HbA1c ≤ 7%, n = 18) and uncontrolled (HbA1c > 7%, n = 22) subgroups. Clinical evaluation, biochemical tests, and serum copeptin levels (measured via ELISA) were analyzed. Cairo university, Faculty of Medicine, Ethical approval: N-247-2023. Results: Serum copeptin levels were significantly higher in diabetic patients compared to controls (p < 0.001), and in uncontrolled vs. controlled diabetics (p < 0.001). Copeptin positively correlated with fasting glucose, HbA1c, serum creatinine, and urinary protein, and negatively with eGFR. ROC analysis identified copeptin as a sensitive marker for both poor glycemic control at a cut off value > 3452 pg/mL (AUC 0.925) and DKD at a cut off vlue > 370 pg/mL (AUC 0.94), both with high sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: The level of serum copeptin correlates positively with poor glycemic status as well as DKD among T2DM patients. It can be an effective, non-invasive biomarker used in early diagnosis and risk stratification of diabetic complications. Clinical trial registration: Not applicable. © The Author(s) 2026.


Keywords

Copeptin; Diabetic kidney disease; Glycemic control; Type 2 diabetes; Adult; Biomarkers; Blood Glucose; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Nephropathies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Glycated Hemoglobin; Glycopeptides; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Prognosis; albumin; creatinine; glucose; hemoglobin A1c; sodium; uric acid; biological marker; glycopeptide; albumin blood level; area under the curve; Article; biochemical analysis; blood cell count; clinical article; clinical evaluation; controlled study; correlation analysis; creatinine blood level; cross-sectional study; diabetic nephropathy; diabetic patient; diagnostic accuracy; diagnostic test accuracy study; Egypt; enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; estimated glomerular filtration rate; fasting blood glucose level; glucose blood level; hemoglobin blood level; human; non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus; observational study; predictive value; protein blood level; protein urine level; receiver operating characteristic; sensitivity and specificity; sodium blood level; sodium urine level; university hospital; urea nitrogen blood level; uric acid blood level; blood; case control study; complication; diagnosis; etiology; follow up


Citation Information

Scopus Citations: 0


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