title: Role of fasting serum C-peptide as a predictor of cardiovascular risk associated with the metabolic X-syndrome.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Humanitarian Foundation for the Disabled, Bratislava, Slovakia. peter_haban@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haban
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simoncic
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zidekova
authors.forename: Lubomir
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ozdin
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: D002096:C-Peptide; D007328:Insulin; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010455:Peptides