Niacin-induced skin flushing response (NSFR) was assessed as diagnostic biomarker for diabetic
peripheral neuropathy (DPN) due to its association with microangiopathy. 114 patients with type 2 diabetes (51 with DPN, 59 without DPN, and 4 with unclear neuropathy status) and 91 healthy controls were enrolled. The NSFR was significantly lower in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001) and demonstrated greater reduction in DPN patients than in those without DPN (p < 0.001). Strong association between the NSFR and the risk of DPN was found after adjusting for potential confounding factors (p = 0.004). NSFR can be used as promising biomarker for DPN.
Key Points:
- Niacin-induced skin flushing response (NSFR) was significantly reduced in patients with type 2 diabetes compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001), suggesting an association with diabetes-related microvascular impairment.
- NSFR showed an even greater reduction in patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) compared to those without DPN (p < 0.001), indicating that this marker reflects the severity of nerve damage.
- A strong, independent association was found between NSFR and DPN risk after adjusting for confounding factors, positioning NSFR as a promising diagnostic biomarker for DPN.
References:
Jiang T, Wang D, Chai R, Hu Y, Zhu L, Fang F, et al.
Attenuated niacin skin flushing response in Diabetic peripheral Neuropathy patients: A Novel Clinical
Diagnostic Tool. Diabetes/Metabolism Research and Reviews. 2025 Apr 25;41(4):e70042. DOI: 10.1002/dmrr.70042.
Publish on behalf of the Scientific Panel on Neuropathies.