Plasma osteoprotegerin as a biomarker of poor glycaemic control that predicts progression of albuminuria in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A 3-year longitudinal cohort study

•Poor glycaemic control is associated with elevated risk for vascular complications.•Biomarkers for predicting susceptibility to glycaemic deterioration are lacking.•Osteoprotegerin (OPG) predicted development of poorly-controlled type 2 diabetes.•OPG was independently associated with progression of albuminuria.•OPG–albuminuria progression association was mediated by poorly-controlled diabetes. Poor glycaemic control elevates the risk for vascular complications. Biomarkers for predicting susceptibility to glycaemic worsening are lacking. This 3-year prospective analysis assessed the utility of several circulating diabetes-related biomarkers for predicting loss of glycaemic control, and their contribution to albuminuria progression in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). T2DM subjects with adequately-controlled diabetes (HbA1c