Objective To investigate the correlations of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)and meteorin-like protein(Metrnl) with macroangiopathy in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods A total of 106 patients with T2DM were divided into simple T2DM group (n=50, CIMT ≤ 1.0 mm), T2DM combined with macroangiopathy disease group (n=56, CIMT>1.0 mm), and 52 healthy subjects who underwent physical examination at the same time were randomly selected as healthy control group. Metrnl and TGF-β levels in peripheral serum in three groups were compared. The correlations of metabolic indexes with T2DM macroangiopathy were compared between the three groups.

Results The levels of TGF-β and Metrnl in the T2DM combined with macroangiopathy disease group were significantly lower than those in the T2DM simple group and healthy control group (P < 0.05); there was a positive correlation between TGF-β and Metrnl level (P < 0.05); systolic blood pressure, smoking, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and HOMA-IR were risk factors for T2DM macroangiopaopathy, while Metrnl and TGF-β were protective factors for T2DM macroangiopaopathy (P < 0.05); receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) predicted by TGF-β and Metrnl were 0.757 and 0.846, respectively, the AUC predicted by TGF-β combined with Metrnl was 0.901.

Conclusion Serum TGF-β and decreased Metrnl levels are associated with the occurrence of T2DM macrovascular disease. Detection of TGF-β combined with Metrnl is of great significance for the early evaluation of T2DM macrovascular disease.