Endocrine Abstracts

Associations of Insulin-like growth factor-II with cardiovascular risk have been inadequately studied. We studied longitudinal associations of IGF-II with cardiovascular risk factors in people with type 2 diabetes. Subjects and methods: 462 type-2 diabetes patients aged 26 to 86 years from the Salford Diabetes cohort were analysed. Longitudinal clinical information was extracted (years 2002–2009) from an integrated database of primary care and hospital data. IGF-II was measured at baseline using an in-house ELISA (interassay CV<9.2%, within-assay CV <6%, analytical sensitivity=10 ng/ml). Stata 10SE was used for statistical analysis.

Results: 279 subjects were males. Mean age was 62 years. At baseline IGF-II concentration was 606.4 ng/ml (SD=203.5, range 224–1366) and was negatively associated with age (β=−2.025, P=0.021). Gender significantly predicted IGF-II concentration (gender-wise means: males 575.9, females 653.0, P<0.001). On age and gender adjusted regression, total cholesterol (β=0.317, 95% CI 0.07 to 0.55, P=0.009) and HDL cholesterol (β=0.22, 95% CI 0.12 to 0.32, P<0.001) at baseline were positively associated with log IGF-II concentration. Baseline BMI was negatively associated (P=0.017, β=−3.14, 95% CI −5.7 to −0.57). Glycated haemoglobin, blood pressure, eGFR, triglycerides, albumin-creatinine ratio and diabetes duration were not associated with IGF-2. Longitudinal mixed-effects regression were then undertaken separately for each of the above variables as outcomes of baseline IGF-II, adjusting for age, gender and diabetes duration. Increase in total cholesterol (β=0.28, 95%CI 0.036 to 0.532, P=0.025) and HDL cholesterol (β=0.22, 95%CI 0.117 to 0.339, P<0.001) over time were positively associated with log IGF-II concentrations. Body-mass index was inversely related (β=−2.7, 95%CI −4.8 to −0.59, P=0.012), similar to previously reported associations of low IGF-II with subsequent weight gain. Analyses of other variables were non-significant.

Conclusions: Our results indicate that higher baseline IGF-II concentrations predict increase in HDL over time and confirm previous associations of low IGF-II with weight gain. Further research is necessary to elucidate reasons for these findings.

Declaration of interest: There is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of the research reported.

Funding: No specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sector.