Endocrine Abstracts

Background and aims: Irisin is a novel myokine that promote energy expenditure. It could act on adipocyte metabolism through a novel neural pathway and on the other hand irisin induces neural proliferation and adequate neural differentiation. We aimed to assess serum irisin level in type 2 diabetics (T2DM) and correlate it with metabolic parameters. Also, we assessed the relation between irisin level and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).

Methods: We recruited 60 T2DM subjects and 30 healthy controls. Diabetics will be divided into 30 patients without complications and 30 with DPN. DN4 questionnaire was used to screen for diabetic neuropathy. Serum irisin, FPG, 2 h PG, HbA1c, TG, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR were measured.

Results: Irisin level was significantly lower in diabetics than control (40.92±17.99 ng/ml vs 160.14±58.67 ng/ml, P<0.01). Diabetics with PN had lower irisin than diabetics without complications (27.57±7.61 ng/ml vs 54.27±15.24 ng/ml, P<0.01). Irisin levels were negatively correlated with FBS (r=−0.487), 2 h PG (r=−0.570), HbA1c (r=−0.596), fasting insulin (r=−0.368), HOMA-IR (r=−0.441), and TGs (r=−0.327) in all studied groups (P<0.01). Also, it was negatively correlated with the duration of diabetes in all diabetics (−0.764, P<0.01). We found a negative correlation between irisin and age only in healthy subjects (−0.480, P<0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed that HbA1c, age, F. Insulin, BMI, and HOMA-IR respectively were independent determinants for irisin level.

Conclusion: We found that serum irisin levels were decreased in T2DM. Lower irisin level may be associated with peripheral neuropathy. Irisin levels associated inversely with insulin resistance.