title: The fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) is a strong biomarker of metabolic syndrome and lipodystrophy in HIV-infected patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The incidence of metabolic abnormalities in HIV-infected patients is increasing. Fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) is an emerging biomarker for metabolic-related disturbances. We aimed to study FABP4 as a marker of metabolic syndrome (MS) or lipodystrophy (LD) in HIV patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  FABP4 plasma concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassays in 183 HIV-infected patients, enrolled as part of a study aimed at identifying predictors of atherosclerosis. The presence of MS or LD was diagnosed according to standard clinical methods. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  FABP4 concentration was significantly higher in those patients with either MS or LD criteria than those without any metabolic disturbance. Similarly, FABP4 concentration significantly increased with an increasing of MS features and was strongly correlated with body-mass index, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol concentrations, insulin and blood pressure. Patients in the highest quartile of FABP4 presented a six-fold increased odds ratio for MS and a three-fold increased odds for LD, adjusted by age, sex, body-mass index and the antiretroviral therapy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FABP4 is a strong plasma marker of metabolic disturbances in HIV-infected patients, and therefore, could serve to guide therapeutic intervention in this group of patients.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recerca Biomèdica, Hospital Universitari Sant Joan, Universitat Rovira i Virgili, 43201 Reus, Tarragona, Spain. bcoll@grupsagessa.com
authors.forename: Blai
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Coll
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cabre
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alonso-Villaverde
authors.forename: Iolanda
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lazaro
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aragonés
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parra
authors.forename: Josefa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Girona
authors.forename: Lluis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Masana
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood*; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008060:Lipodystrophy / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000821:virology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; C493410:FABP4 protein, human; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins