Serum resistin, adiposity and insulin resistance in Saudi women with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
BACKGROUND
The role of adipocyte hormones in modulating insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance are of increasing interest and importance in studies of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recently a unique signaling molecule, resistin, has been proposed as playing a role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related insulin resistance, but its relevance to human diabetes remains uncertain. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between serum resistin concentrations and insulin resistance in lean, overweight and obese (OW/OB) non-diabetic and diabetic Saudi women.


METHODS
We measured fasting serum resistin levels in 44 diabetic women with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 31.82 +/- 4.35 kg/m2, 21 OW/OB non-diabetic women with a mean BMI 30.71 +/- 3.42 kg/m2 and in 24 lean women with a mean BMI of 23.33 +/- 1.24 kg/m2. Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance formula derived from fasting insulin and glucose levels.


RESULTS
The concentrations of fasting serum resistin showed significant differences among the three groups (P<0.001). Mean serum resistin concentrations increased from lean (11.59 +/- 2.08) to OW/OB non-diabetic (16.29 +/- 2.29) to diabetic (19.42 +/- 3.60 ng/mL) women. Significantly higher levels of glucose (P<0.001) and values for the homeostasis model assessment ratio (HOMA-R) (P<0.01) occurred in the diabetic compared to the lean and OW/OB non-diabetic subjects. Furthermore, resistin correlated significantly and positively with hip circumferences (r=0.39, P=0.039), weight (r=0.51, P=0.005), insulin (r=0.40, P=0.033), HOMA-R (r=0.49, P=0.007) and glucose (r=0.39, P=0.038) in diabetic women. In OW/OB non-diabetic subjects, resistin correlated with insulin (r=0.59, P=0.015) and HOMA-R (r=0.616, P=0.011). No correlation was observed with glucose, height, hip, waist, weight, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) in the lean and OW/OB non-diabetic groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Resistin concentrations are elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes and are associated with obesity and insulin resistance. These data indicate that resistin might be involved in the development of diabetes in humans.
Al-Harithy
Rowyda N
RN
Biochemistry Department, King AbdulAziz University, Riyadh, SaudiArabia. ralharithy@yahoo.com
Al-Ghamdi
Shareefa
S
D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D052243:Resistin