Novel biomarkers are needed to better predict coronary artery calcification (CAC), a marker of subclinical atherosclerosis, and diabetic kidney disease (DKD) in type 1 diabetes. We evaluated the associations between serum uromodulin (SUMOD [a biomarker associated with anti-inflammatory and renal protective properties]), CAC progression, and DKD development over 12 years.

Participants (n = 527, 53% females) in the Coronary Artery Calcification in Type 1 Diabetes (CACTI) study were examined during 2002–2004, at a mean age of 39.6 ± 9.0 years and a median duration of diabetes of 24.8 years. Urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (ACR) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) determined by the CKD-EPI (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) creatinine equation were measured at baseline and after a mean follow-up period of 12.1 ± 1.5 years. Elevated albumin excretion was defined as ACR ≥30 mg/g, rapid GFR decline (>3 mL/min/1.73 m²/year), and impaired GFR as eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m². SUMOD was measured on stored baseline plasma samples (Meso Scale Discovery). CAC was measured using electron beam computed tomography. CAC progression was defined as a change in the square root–transformed CAC volume of ≥2.5.

Higher baseline SUMOD level conferred lower odds of CAC progression (odds ratio 0.68; 95% CI 0.48–0.97), incident elevated albumin excretion (0.37; 0.16–0.86), rapid GFR decline (0.56; 0.35–0.91), and impaired GFR (0.44; 0.24–0.83) per 1 SD increase in SUMOD (68.44 ng/mL) after adjustment for baseline age, sex, systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, and albuminuria/GFR. The addition of SUMOD to models with traditional risk factors also significantly improved the prediction performance for CAC progression and incident DKD.

Higher baseline SUMOD level predicted lower odds of both CAC progression and incident DKD over 12 years in adults with type 1 diabetes.