Role of fasting serum C-peptide as a predictor of cardiovascular risk associated with the metabolic X-syndrome.
BACKGROUND
Insulin resistance with increased insulin and C-peptide levels is the basis of the metabolic X-syndrome, so it is reasonable to expect them to be a good predictor of associated cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
A total of 29 patients (21 postmenopausal women and 8 men) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (mean duration 14.6 years, 95% CI 11.9 to 17.3 years), all older than 50, were studied for possible links between fasting serum C-peptide levels and other vascular risk factors. The mean value of the C-peptide in the group was 0.627 nmol/l (95% CI: 0.464 to 0.789 nmol/l).


RESULTS
We found statistically significant correlations between C-peptide and triacylglycerols (TG; r=0.474; p=0.009), HDL-cholesterol (inverse; r = -0.567; p = 0.001) and various lipoprotein ratios: atherogenic index (= total/HDL cholesterol: r = 0.599; p = 0.0006) or TG/HDL (r = 0.587; p = 0.0008). C-peptide also correlated with the body mass index (BMI: r = 0.519; p= 0.004) and leptin (r = 0.492; p = 0.007). After the coefficient CpG (C-peptide x fasting glycemia) was introduced, the correlations with lipoproteins became even stronger.


CONCLUSIONS
We suggest that elevated (fasting) serum C-peptide levels constitute a clinically important marker of the cardiovascular risks associated with the metabolic X-syndrome. It can be used as an effective tool for the early detection of diabetic patients at particular risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases and needing early preventive measures or aggressive treatment.
Haban
Peter
P
Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Humanitarian Foundation for the Disabled, Bratislava, Slovakia. peter_haban@yahoo.com
Simoncic
Robert
R
Zidekova
Eva
E
Ozdin
Lubomir
L
D000368:Aged; D002096:C-Peptide / Q000097:blood*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006951:Hyperlipoproteinemias / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome; D008875:Middle Aged; D010455:Peptides / Q000737:chemistry; D017698:Postmenopause; D012307:Risk Factors
D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010455:Peptides