title: Serum retinol-binding protein 4 levels are elevated but do not contribute to insulin resistance in newly diagnosed Chinese hypertensive patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Insulin resistance (IR) is closely correlated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) is a novel adipokine that modulates the action of insulin in various diseases. This study addressed the relationship between RBP4 and IR in newly diagnosed essential hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum RBP4, anthropometric and metabolic parameters were determined in 267 newly diagnosed essential hypertensive patients not taking antihypertensive medications. The patients along with 64 control (NC) normotensive and lean subjects paired by age and sex were divided into two groups depending on body mass index (BMI), hypertension with obesity (HPO) and hypertension without obesity (HP).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A striking difference was observed in RBP4 levels between the HP and NC groups. Significantly higher levels were noted in the HP group compared with the NC group; slightly, but not significantly, lower levels were observed in the HPO group compared with the HP group. After adjusting for BMI, WC and WHR, a modestly linear relationship was observed between RBP4 levels and SBP (r = 0.377; p = 0.00), DBP (r = 0.288; p = 0.00) and HOMA-β(r = 0.121; p = 0.028). Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed that SBP, WHR and drinking were independently related with serum RBP4 levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study indicated that RBP4 levels were increased in naive hypertensive patients; however, no differences were observed in obese or non-obese hypertensive subjects. Our data suggest for the first time that RBP4 levels are significantly increased but do not contribute to the development of IR in newly diagnosed hypertensive Chinese patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.|Department of Endocrinology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
authors.forename: Wuquan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Deng
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Yuping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Yanling
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Youzhao
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Qinan
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Ziwen
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, the Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400010, China.
authors.forename: Gangyi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Southwest Hospital, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing 400038, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
keywords: Essential hypertension; Insulin resistance; Obesity; Retinol-binding protein 4