Serum Levels of Growth Differentiation Factor 15 as a Biomarker for Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15) has been identified as a biomarker of cellular stress conditions and has demonstrated functional implications in kidney disease, metabolic disorders, and diabetes. However, the relationship between GDF-15 and the coexistence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the association between GDF-15 levels and the presence of CKD in patients with T2DM, then analyze the cut off value. Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling a total of 60 patients. T2DM patients were categorized into two groups based on the presence or absence of CKD. Serum GDF-15 levels were quantified using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit. Results: The study population (n=60) predominantly consisted of male individuals with an average age of 53 years. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis yielded an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.846 (95% CI = 0.748 - 0.945) with a statistically significant p-value of < 0.001. The optimal cut-off value for serum GDF-15 to detect the presence of CKD was determined as 362.80 pg/mL, with corresponding sensitivity and specificity values of 77% and 79%, respectively. Furthermore, a significant association between GDF-15 levels and both T2DM without CKD and T2DM with CKD was observed (p < 0.001). Conclusion: There is a significant association observed between serum GDF-15 levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and the presence of CKD. The cut of value GDF-15 to detect the presence of CKD was determined as 362.80 pg/mL with sensitivity and specificity values of 77% and 79%, this is can be considered as a potential biomarker for the detection of CKD in individuals with T2DM.