Neurofilament Light Chain is Elevated - While C-X-C Motif Ligand 13 Remains Unchanged in Patients with Diabetic Polyneuropathy: A Pilot Study

¹Biochemistry & Immunology, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Vejle, Denmark

²Department of Internal Medicine and Endocrinology, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Kolding, Denmark

³Department of Regional Health Research, University of Southern Denmark, Denmark

⁴Biochemistry & Immunology, Hospital of Southern Jutland, Denmark

*Corresponding author: Julia Runge Strøm Olsen, MD, Biochemistry & Immunology, University Hospital of Southern Denmark, Beriderbakken 4, 7100 Vejle, Denmark, Tel: +457940 6511; Email: [email protected]

Received Date: June 17, 2025

Published Date: July 09, 2025

Citation: Olsen JRS, et al. (2025). Neurofilament Light Chain is Elevated - While C-X-C Motif Ligand 13 Remains Unchanged in Patients with Diabetic Polyneuropathy: A Pilot Study. Diab Res. 2(1):6.

Copyrights: Olsen JRS, et al. © (2025).

ABSTRACT

Valid and responsive biomarkers specific to diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) could provide a time-efficient and objective tool for identifying and monitoring disease progression. We investigated whether neurofilament light chain (NfL) and C-X-C motif ligand 13 (CXCL13) levels are associated with the presence of DPN in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this retrospective case-control study, 192 participants were selected from the Vejle Diabetes Biobank and stratified into three groups: T2D with DPN (T2D +DPN, n=42), T2D without DPN (T2D –DPN, n=75), and non-diabetic, neurologically healthy controls (n=75). DPN was defined using ICD-10 codes from the Danish National Patient Registry. NfL and CXCL13 concentrations were measured using Single molecule array (Simoa) technology. Patients with T2D +DPN had significantly higher NfL levels than both T2D –DPN (p=0.0042) and control groups (p=0.0037). NfL levels correlated with the urine albumin/creatinine ratio (R=0.59, p<0.001), suggesting that both may reflect a common underlying mechanism of tissue damage. CXCL13 levels did not differ significantly between groups. These findings support NfL as a biomarker reflecting axonal damage in DPN, although its lack of specificity limits its diagnostic utility. Longitudinal studies are warranted to assess the value of NfL in disease progression and its potential role in individual monitoring.

Keywords: Diabetes, Neurological Diseases, Diabetic Polyneuropathy, Diabetic Neuropathy, Biomarkers