Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the relationship between circulating betatrophin levels and obesity. Obesity is a common public health problem that is increasing globally. Betatrophin, a newly identified protein, is predominantly expressed in white and brown fat tissues and in the liver. Growing evidence suggests that betatrophin plays a pivotal role in metabolism, including the synthesis and degradation of lipids in cells, and adipocyte differentiation. Previous studies have assessed the association between circulating betatrophin levels and obesity; however, this relationship remains unclear. Therefore, our study is aimed at examining the impact of betatrophin on obesity using a meta-analysis of the current evidence. We performed a meta-analysis to quantify the relationship between betatrophin levels and obesity. A literature search was conducted through the EMBASE, Web of Science, and MEDLINE databases. Retrieved studies were screened, without any language restrictions to identify relevant literature published up to December 2018. Observational studies, in which the association between circulating concentrations of betatrophin and obesity was evaluated, were considered suitable for the systematic review. Of the 65 manuscripts retrieved, 9 datasets from 6 studies, involving 681 participants, detected an association between circulating betatrophin and obesity. Circulating betatrophin levels of obese subjects were higher than those of nonobese subjects (random − effects weighted mean difference (WMD) = 0.250 μg/mL, 95% CI: 0.048–0.451, I2 = 94.8%, p = 0.015), yet with significant between-study heterogeneity. This heterogeneity appeared to be modified by glycemic status but not by age, the ELISA kits used, sample source, or body mass index. The high circulating betatrophin concentration may directly increase the risk of obesity in adults. Betatrophin may serve as a therapeutic target for obesity in adults.
Highlights
Obesity causes considerable health and socioeconomic problems in many countries
Disagreements were resolved by consulting a 3rd reviewer, who was not involved in the initial procedure
Circulating full-length betatrophin concentration was measured in these studies
Summary
Obesity causes considerable health and socioeconomic problems in many countries. Obesity is a common public health problem and is on the rise worldwide. This is apparent from the 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) report, which stated that over 0.6 billion people were obese, and more than 1.9 billion adults were overweight [1]. Obesity has become a significant burden on global health care expenditures. It is frequently associated with chronic disorders, including heart disease, polycystic ovary syndrome, breast cancer, and diabetes. Obesity and overweight contribute to at least 2.8 million deaths each year [2]
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