Association of TNFSF14 with carotid intima-media thickness in newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes: a comparison of older and younger adults

Introduction: Tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 14 (TNFSF14) is an immuno-inflammatory biomarker which might play a role in the pathogenesis of type-2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and also vascular inflammation. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) is a marker of vascular risk and is a well-established marker of subclinical atherosclerosis; however, data on its relationship with TNFSF14, particularly in newly diagnosed T2DM patients, remain limited. Our aim was to investigate the association between TNFSF14 and CIMT in patients with newly diagnosed T2DM and to evaluate whether these markers could serve as supportive indicators for T2DM, including age-based comparison between adult and older patient groups.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Internal Medicine Outpatient Clinics of a tertiary hospital. Newly diagnosed T2DM patients and controls without DM were included in the study. Biochemical parameters, TNFSF14 levels and CIMT were measured. Serum TNFSF14 levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and CIMT was assessed by B-mode ultrasonography. Statistical analyses were performed to determine correlations between TNFSF14, CIMT, and metabolic parameters, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to evaluate diagnostic performance. Data were assessed in whole group and according to age groups (≥50