Visfatin concentrations in obese patients in relation to the presence of newly diagnosed glucose metabolism disorders.
BACKGROUND
Visfatin, protein secreted by visceral adipose tissue, exerts insulin-mimetic actions. Visfatin concentration increases in patients with longer-standing diabetes type 2 with progressive b-cell dysfunction. Data about the role of visfatin in newly diagnosed glucose metabolism abnormalities are limited. Evaluation of visfatin concentration in patients with obesity, in relation to the presence of newly diagnosed glucose metabolism disorders.


METHODS
The study included 68 subjects with obesity, without a previous diagnosis of abnormal glucose metabolism. In all subjects we performed an oral glucose tolerance test, and according to the results the group was divided into the subgroups: A (n = 31), with glucose metabolism disorders (impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance and type 2 diabetes); and B (n = 37), without abnormalities. In all subjects serum lipids, uric acid, C-peptide, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), creatinine, and serum visfatin concentrations were measured. The control group comprised 30 lean, healthy individuals with normal glucose tolerance.


RESULTS
We found elevated visfatin levels in obese individuals versus the control group (50.0 ± 48 vs. 26.7 ± 22.1 ng/mL; p = 0.01). Visfatin concentrations in both subgroups, A and B, did not differ (40.86 ± 27.84 vs. 57.7 ± 59.79 ng/mL; p = 0.19). In subgroup A visfatin concentration correlated significantly with triglycerides (r = 0.37, p = 0.038), HbA1c (r = -0.43, p = 0.02), C-peptide (r = -0.38,p = 0.048), and waist-hip ratio (r = -0.41, p = 0.036).


CONCLUSIONS
The presence of newly diagnosed glucose metabolism abnormalities in obese subjects had no influence on the visfatin level, probably due to preserved endogenous insulin secretion and relatively short exposure to hyperglycaemia in patients with prediabetes or at early stage of type 2 diabetes.
Department of Endocrinology and Diabetology, Ludwik Rydygier Collegium Medicum in Bydgoszcz, Nicolaus Copernicus University. amikam@poczta.onet.pl.
Anna
A
Kamińska
Ewa
E
Kopczyńska
Maciej
M
Bieliński
Alina
A
Borkowska
Roman
R
Junik
D000328:Adult; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D044882:Glucose Metabolism Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000201:enzymology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000097:blood*; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult
D016207:Cytokines; D014280:Triglycerides; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C085455:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, human