title: Serum FGF-21 levels in type 2 diabetic patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-21 has been recently characterized as a potent metabolic regulator, but the physiological role of FGF-21 remains poorly understood. This study was designed to investigate serum FGF-21 levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and explore the correlations between its serum levels and various cardiometabolic parameters in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-four newly diagnosed patients with T2DM (NDDM), 54 subjects with long duration of T2DM (LDDM), that is, more than 5 years, and 35 normal controls participated in this study. Fasting serum FGF-21 levels were measured using ELISA kits. The anthropometric parameters, glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, lipids, insulin, and high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were also measured in fasting status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum FGF-21 levels were significantly higher in patients with NDDM and LDDM than in controls (361.80 ± 140.28 pg/mL and 351.17 ± 133.44 pg/mL vs. 185.89 ± 59.29 pg/mL, both p < 0.01), but there was no difference in serum FGF-21 levels between NDDM and LDDM. Fasting serum FGF-21 was found to correlate positively and significantly with age, waist-to-hip ratio, systolic blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) of insulin resistance, and hsCRP, but negatively with HOMA of β-cell insulin secretion. Furthermore, multiple regression analyses showed that fasting insulin, HOMA of insulin resistance, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and hsCRP were independent factors influencing serum FGF-21 levels. Logistic regression analyses demonstrated that serum FGF-21 was significantly associated with T2DM.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Serum FGF-21 levels were significantly increased in patients with T2DM. They may play a role in the pathogenesis of T2DM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Metabolism, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China. mcheng1982@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Xingbo
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Bei
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Fusong
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Huaying
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000097:blood*; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D007328:Insulin; C414620:fibroblast growth factor 21