Mitochondrial health may influence microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes, offering a potential biomarker for early risk assessment. This study was presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes Congress 2025. 

In a cohort of 497 adults with type 2 diabetes from the Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) trial, mitochondrial DNA copy number in whole blood was quantified and analyzed for associations with cardiovascular and microvascular outcomes over five years. The cohort (mean age 62 years, 30% women) showed no variation in mtDNA-CN with age, sex, body mass index, HbA1c, or diabetes duration. 

While mtDNA-CN did not predict cardiovascular events, lower levels were linked to incident microvascular disease, particularly neuropathy. The association was strongest among participants with normal plasma uric acid levels and lower oxidative stress markers. Sensitivity analyses excluding extreme mtDNA-CN values confirmed these results.

These findings suggest that mtDNA-CN could serve as a non-invasive biomarker for microvascular risk stratification in type 2 diabetes, potentially enabling earlier intervention to prevent complications.