Endocrine Abstracts

Spexin is a novel peptide which has a potential role as a biomarker of insulin resistance, diabetes and obesity. We aimed to investigate spexin levels in lean type 1 diabetes patients and spexin’s role on glycemic parameters without the presence of obesity or insulin resistance.

Patients and methods: This cross-sectional study included 29 type 1 diabetic patients and a control group of 23 healthy subjects adjusted for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). Height and weight for every patient were measured using standard techniques. Glucose levels triglycerides, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, serum cortisol levels and spexin levels were measured for each patient.

Results: Serum spexin levels were significantly lower in patients with type 1 diabetes than control subjects (P=0.008). Spexin levels were not correlated with glycemic parameters, lipids, BMI, cortisol levels and TSH (P>0.05). Only age was turned out to be correlated with spexin levels in patients with type 1 diabetes when groups are analyzed separately. Regression models including age and diabetes duration revealed no association between age and spexin levels. Regression models including cortisol, BMI, HbA1c revealed no association with spexin levels within each group.

Conclusion: In conclusion presence of type 1 diabetes results in lower spexin levels independent of glucose, lipid parameters and BMI. Its expression from pancreas apart from current glycemic control of the patients may be the main determinant of spexin levels in type 1 diabetic patients.