Pepsinogen I/II ratio is related to glucose, triacylglycerol, and uric acid levels.
OBJECTIVE
Under- and overnutrition are associated with a worse prognosis and constitute independent risk factors for morbidity and mortality. It is increasingly important to understand the factors that affect nutritional and metabolic statuses. The purpose of this study was to assess the relation between the pepsinogen I/II ratio and several biochemical markers.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed in 1985 subjects who underwent a health screening test. Subjects had no medications for hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, or hypertension. All subjects were classified into two groups. Subjects with a pepsinogen I/II ratio below 3 were defined as having atrophic gastritis. The relations between the pepsinogen I/II ratio and several biochemical markers, including total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, uric acid, cholinesterase, and glucose levels, were evaluated.


RESULTS
The presence of atrophic gastritis was significantly associated with age, smoking status, alcohol consumption, body mass index, and triacylglycerol, uric acid, cholinesterase, and hemoglobin levels. Multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that the pepsinogen I/II ratio was an independent determinant of glucose level (β = 0.104, P < 0.0001), triacylglycerol level (β = 0.072, P = 0.0014), uric acid level (β = 0.048, P = 0.0138), and hemoglobin (β = 0.037, P = 0.0429) after adjustments for age, sex, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
The pepsinogen I/II ratio was related to glucose, triacylglycerol, and uric acid levels. Such an association fosters the idea that a decreased pepsinogen I/II ratio seems favorable for the prevention of overnutrition.
Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto, Japan.
Muhei
M
Tanaka
Michiaki
M
Fukui
Masaaki
M
Kuroda
Masahiro
M
Yamazaki
Goji
G
Hasegawa
Yohei
Y
Oda
Yuji
Y
Naito
Hitoshi
H
Toda
Toshikazu
T
Yoshikawa
Naoto
N
Nakamura
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002802:Cholinesterases / Q000097:blood; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005757:Gastritis, Atrophic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006304:Health Status; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control; D020116:Pepsinogen A / Q000097:blood*; D020115:Pepsinogen C / Q000097:blood*; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D014527:Uric Acid / Q000097:blood*
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D006454:Hemoglobins; D014280:Triglycerides; D014527:Uric Acid; D020115:Pepsinogen C; D020116:Pepsinogen A; D002802:Cholinesterases