High plasma resistin level is associated with enhanced highly sensitive C-reactive protein and leukocytes.
OBJECTIVE
Resistin is a newly described hormone with a suggested role in insulin resistance. In humans, inflammatory cells seem to be the major source of resistin. The aim of this study was to find out whether plasma resistin concentration associates with carotid artery atherosclerosis and the risk factors of atherosclerosis.


METHODS
Plasma resistin concentrations were measured in 525 Finnish middle-aged subjects among our population-based cohort. Intima-media thickness was measured from the internal carotid artery, the bifurcation enlargement, and the common carotid artery.


RESULTS
Among all the subjects, the median resistin concentration was 7.07 ng/ml (interquartile range, 5.82-8.84), women having higher levels than men (P < 0.001) with median values of 7.56 ng/ml (6.18-9.19) and 6.67 ng/ml (5.63-8.31), respectively. Resistin level correlated negatively with mean intima-media thickness, internal carotid artery, and common carotid artery, but the association did not remain significant after adjustments. Plasma resistin concentration was associated positively with leukocytes (P < 0.001), highly sensitive C-reactive protein (P = 0.009), and IGF binding protein 1 (P < 0.001), but not with plasma insulin or glucose levels in analysis of covariance after adjustments for age, sex, and body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
The results imply that inflammatory factors are more important in the determination of plasma resistin concentration than plasma insulin or glucose values. Resistin is associated with proatherogenic inflammatory markers but not independently with early atherosclerosis.
Kunnari
Anne
A
Clinical Research Center/Department of Internal Medicine, P.O. Box 5000, 90014 Oulu University, Oulu, Finland. anne.kunnari@oulu.fi
Ukkola
Olavi
O
Päivänsalo
Markku
M
Kesäniemi
Y Antero
YA
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood; D002340:Carotid Artery Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000097:blood; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1 / Q000097:blood*; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D052243:Resistin / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; D018970:Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein 1; D052243:Resistin