Ç. Yücel, Y. Yüzbaşıoğlu, Y. Katırcı, MS. Ertuğrul and E. Cömertpay (2025). LEVELS OF COPEPTIN AND BETA-HYDROXY BUTYRATE IN DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS. Acta endocrinologica (Bucharest, Romania : 2005), 21(1), 17-22. https://doi.org/10.4183/aeb.2025.17

PubMed 41798966

[Abstract]
INTRODUCTION: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an acute complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by hyperglycemia, ketosis, and metabolic acidosis. This study aimed to evaluate blood and urine levels of copeptin and β-OHB in patients with DKA.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: 49 patients with DKA and 30 healthy controls were included in the study. Serum and urine β-OHB and copeptin levels were measured using ELISA. Statistical analysis included Mann-Whitney U test, t-test, and ROC curve analysis to assess diagnostic performance.

RESULTS: Compared with controls, patients with DKA demonstrated significantly higher serum and urine β-OHB levels (p < 0.001) and lower serum copeptin levels (p < 0.001), while urine copeptin did not differ significantly (p = 0.456). Serum copeptin showed high sensitivity (98.0%) but limited specificity, whereas urine copeptin had low diagnostic value.

DISCUSSION: This study confirms β-OHB as a reliable biomarker for diagnosing DKA, with urine β-OHB offering a rapid and non-invasive alternative. Copeptin did not demonstrate diagnostic discrimination between DKA and healthy subjects.

CONCLUSION: Quantitative measurement of serum and urine β-OHB provides superior diagnostic accuracy in DKA and should be incorporated into emergency diagnostic pathways. Copeptin may complement β-OHB in monitoring fluid status.