Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP), fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21), C1q/TNF-related protein 9 (CTRP9) and allograft inflammatory factor-1 (AIF-1) belong to the proteins produced by adipocyte tissue, which differently contribute to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, insulin resistance and endothelial damage. The aim of this pilot study was to compare their levels in patients with diabetes and in healthy individuals and determine their relationship to cardiovascular risk factors and indicators of vascular damage.

Methods: Fifty-four patients with type 2 diabetes (32 men, 22 women) and 21 healthy controls (8 men, 13 women) were included in the study. Besides adipokines, lipids, anthropological parameters, indicators of insulin resistance and of renal damage also markers of endothelial dysfunction – von Willebrand factor (vWF), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) and arterial stiffness parameters – augmentation index and pulse wave velocity were tested.

Results: Compared with healthy controls, type 2 diabetics had significantly higher levels of A-FABP [50.0 (38.1–68.6) vs 28.6 (23.6–32.9) mg/l, P 0.001] and lower levels of adiponectin [5.9 (4.3–9.0) vs 11.3 (8.7–14.8) mg/l, P 0.001]. Differences in other adipokines were not statistically significant. Adiponectin correlated negatively with vWF levels (r=−0.29, P 0.05) and PAI-1 (r=−0.35, P 0.01), A-FABP positively with vWF (r=0.45, P 0.01) PAI-1 (r=0.46, P 0.01) and augmentation index (r=0.39, P 0.01). The levels of FGF-21 correlated only with PAI-1 (r=0.27, P 0.05).

Conclusion: Patients with type 2 diabetes have significantly higher levels of A-FABP and lower levels of adiponectin. The levels of these adipokines correlate with indicators of vascular damage and could thus directly contribute to cardiovascular risk individuals with diabetes. Supported by grants IGA_LF_2016_014 a MZ ČR – RVO (FNOl, 00098892) – IP 87-54