Abstract:Objective To investigate correlation between serum ferritin (SF) level and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) in type 2 diabetic patients. Methods A total of 150 patients with type 2 diabetes admitted to department of Endocrinology in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2016 were divided into two groups: 84 cases with DPN (DPN group) and 66 cases without DPN (T2DM group), with 30 healthy subjects (NC group). Serum ferritin (SF), fasting blood glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial glucose (2h PG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), homocysteine (Hcy) and fasting insulin (FINS) were measured. Insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) and islet cell secretory index (HOMA-IS) were also evaluated and SF and related factors were analysed. Results The levels of DBP (diastolic blood pressure). ① FPG, 2 hPG, HbA1c, TC, TG, LDL, Fins and Hcy in T2DM group and DPN group were statistically significant different (P < 0.05). With the development of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, the levels of FPG, 2 hPG, HbA1c, TG, Fins and Hcy in DPN group showed an increasing trend than those in T2DM group (P < 0.05). Compared with NC group, the leves of HOMA-IR and HOMA-IS were statistically significant different in T2DM group and DPN group (P < 0.05); HOMA-IR gradually increased, and HOMA-IS decreased gradually. ② Among the 3 groups, SF was the highest in group DPN and the lowest in group NC, with statistically significant difference (P < 0.05). ③ Correlation analysis showed that SF was positively correlated with HbA1c, HOMA-IR and Hcy (r = 26.600, 14.055 and 9.513, P = 0.000, 0.000 and 0.043), but negatively correlated with HOMA-IS (r = -0.895, P = 0.004). ④ Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that SF, Hcy, 2 hPG, TG, Fins, HOMA-IR and HOMA-IS were independent risk factors of DPN. Conclusions Increase of SF level is related to blood glucose, blood lipid metabolism disorder, insulin resistance and oxidative stress. They are involved in the occurrence and development of DM and DPN.