Nitric oxide levels in patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Altered serum nitric oxide (NO) levels in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) have been reported by different studies; however, results are still controversial. Until this date, no meta-analysis evaluated the association of NO levels with DM. Thus, this paper describes a meta-analysis conducted to evaluate if there is a relationship between NO levels and type 1 DM (T1DM) or type 2 DM (T2DM). A literature search was done to identify all studies that investigated NO levels between T1DM or T2DM patients (cases) and non-diabetic subjects (controls). Measurement of nitrate and nitrite (NOx – the stable NO products) were used to estimate NO concentrations because they closely reflect NO bioavailability. Weighted mean differences (WMD) of NOx levels between case and control samples were calculated for T1DM and T2DM groups. Thirty studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis (8 in T1DM samples and 22 in T2DM samples). NOx levels were increased in European T1DM patients compared with controls [random effect model (REM) WMD = 8.55, 95% CI 2.88 – 14.21]. No other ethnicity was evaluated in T1DM studies. NOx levels were also increased in both European (REM WMD = 18.76, 95% CI 1.67 – 35.85) and Asian (REM WMD = 18.41, 95% CI 8.01 – 28.81) T2DM patients, but not in Latin American patients compared with controls. This meta-analysis detected a significant increase in NOx levels in European T1DM patients as well as European and Asian T2DM patients. Further studies in other ethnicities are necessary to confirm these data. •This meta-analysis evaluated NO levels in diabetes patients.•Thirty studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis.•There is an increase in NOx levels in European T1DM and T2DM patients, and Asian T2DM patients.•Meta-analysis is considered a powerful tool for pooling data from different studies.