title: Plasma visfatin and retinol binding protein-4 levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and their relationship to adiposity and fatty liver.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether plasma visfatin and binding protein-4 (RBP-4) levels correlate with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups were enrolled: Group 1: 40 patients with T2DM and Group 2: 40 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Both groups were subdivided according to body mass index (BMI) into non-obese (BMI < 25 kg/m(2)) and obese subjects (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m(2)) (20 each).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma visfatin and RBP-4 levels were significantly increased in T2DM patients compared with controls with similar BMI values (for both p<0.001). Plasma visfatin and RBP-4 concentrations correlated with BMI, waist/hip ratio, insulin and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance (HOMA(IR)). Visfatin and RBP-4 correlated with visceral fat and liver fat in diabetic patients (for both p<0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Visfatin level was increased in T2DM, possibly related to hyperglycemia. Plasma RBP-4 correlated positively with liver fat and HOMA(IR) which may reflect its effects on hepatic insulin sensitivity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Egypt. olfatshaker@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Olfat
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Shaker
authors.forename: Amal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Shehaby
authors.forename: Abir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zakaria
authors.forename: Naglaa
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.forename: Soha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Talaat
authors.forename: Niki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Katsiki
authors.forename: Dimitri P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Mikhailidis
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma / Q000378:metabolism*; D050151:Subcutaneous Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D016207:Cytokines; C101326:RBP4 protein, human; D054839:Retinol-Binding Proteins, Plasma; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human