Abstract
BackgroundThiamine deficiency has suggested to be linked to several insulin-resistance complications. In this study, we aim to associate circulating thiamine levels among cardiometabolic parameters in an Arab cohort using a simple, sensitive, rapid and selective high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method that has recently been developed.MethodsA total of 236 randomly selected, consenting Saudi adult participants (166 males and 70 females) were recruited and screened for the presence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) using the modified National Cholesterol Education Program–Adult Treatment Panel III definition. Blood thiamine and its derivatives were quantified using HPLC.ResultsA total of 140 participants (53.9%) had MetS. The levels of thiamine and its derivatives of those with MetS were not significantly different from those without. However, hypertensive subjects had significantly higher urinary thiamine (P = 0.03) as well as significantly lower levels of thiamine diphosphate (TDP) (P = 0.01) and total thiamine (P = 0.02) than the normotensive subjects, even after adjusting for age and body mass index (BMI). Furthermore, age- and BMI-matched participants with elevated blood glucose levels had significantly lower levels of thiamine monophosphate (P = 0.020), TDP (P < 0.001) and total thiamine (P < 0.001) and significantly elevated levels of urinary thiamine (P = 0.005) compared to normoglycemic participants.ConclusionsLow thiamine levels are associated with elevated blood glucose and hypertension in Saudi adults. Determination of thiamine status may be considered and corrected among patients with, or at high risk for, MetS, but the question whether thiamine deficiency correction translates to improved cardiometabolic status needs further longitudinal investigation.
Highlights
Thiamine deficiency has suggested to be linked to several insulin-resistance complications
Thiamine is an essential water-soluble vitamin with major functions in carbohydrate metabolism. It is phosphorylated by thiamine kinase, and the major fraction of tissue thiamine is represented by thiamine diphosphate (TDP) [1]
We have previously developed a step-gradient high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method to overcome the weaknesses of previously reported thiamine assays in terms of speed and accuracy for baseline separation of thiamine compounds using whole blood instead of washed erythrocytes and a simpler mobile phase [11]
Summary
Thiamine deficiency has suggested to be linked to several insulin-resistance complications. Thiamine (vitamin B1) is an essential water-soluble vitamin with major functions in carbohydrate metabolism. It is phosphorylated by thiamine kinase, and the major fraction of tissue thiamine is represented by thiamine diphosphate (TDP) [1]. This active form functions as a cofactor for both pyruvate (PDHC) and α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complexes (KDHCs). Studies have suggested that erythrocyte TDP concentrations determined by both the apoenzyme recombination technique and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) are more sensitive indices of thiamine status than measurement of erythrocyte transketolase activity [7,8]. The use of HPLC for the direct determination of TDP, has clear advantages in terms of sensitivity, specificity, precision and robustness [7,8,9]
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