Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Isoenzymes in an Arab Population with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Total serum alkaline phosphatase and its liver, bone and intestinal isoenzymes were estimated in 62 Arab subjects with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and compared with the levels in 64 healthy controls. A significant elevation of total alkaline phosphatase was found in the diabetic patients (126IU/1) compared to the controls (79 IU/1). The level of the liver alkaline phosphatase isoenzyme fraction was also higher in the diabetic group (84 IU/1) than in the controls (64 IU/1). In addition, the value for the bone isoenzyme fraction, which was the predominant fraction in 16 diabetics and 21 controls, was significantly higher in diabetics (122 IU/1) than in controls (31 IU/1). However, the intestinal alkaline phosphatase band, which was present in 12 diabetics (54IU/1) and 7 healthy controls (42 IU/1), was not significantly different. Both the diabetics and controls with this band had either blood group·or B. Total alkaline phosphatase and the bone isoenzyme were found to correlate positively with fasting blood glucose. Thus, although total alkaline phosphatase and its bone and liver isoenzyme fractions are elevated in diabetic subjects, the level of the intestinal fraction seems to be independent of the diabetic state.