Correlation between serum irisin and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Objective To investigate the relationship between serum irisin and carotid atherosclerosis (CAS) in type 2 diabetes. Methods A total of 30 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) complicated with CAS and another 30 gender-, age-matched T2DM patients without CAS were enrolled from June 2014 to December 2015; over the same period, 30 gender-, age-matched healthy participants were included as the normal control (NC). Fasting plasma glucose, blood lipid, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, fasting insulin were measured; serum irisin level was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Analysis of covariance, nonparametric test, Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results The serum irisin levels decreased significantly in T2DM with CAS and without CAS groups when compared with that in NC group 3.3(2.7, 3.7), 4.0(3.7,4.3), 4.5(3.7, 5.3) mg/L, respectively, Z=-3.150,-2.197, both P<0.05), and it was obviously lower in the CAS group than that in the T2DM without CAS group (Z=-2.263, P<0.05). The irisin level was negatively correlated with homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, duration of diabetes (r=-0.312,-0.321, both P<0.05), and was positively correlated with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.321, 0.285, both P<0.05). Irisin and HDL-C were the independent protective factors for CAS (B=-1.225,-4.332, both P<0.05). Conclusion Irisin may be associated with the occurrence and development of T2DM; depressed serum irisin level may be one of the causes of occurrence and development of macroangiopathy in patients with T2DM. Key words: Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Irisin; Carotid atherosclerosis