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Mortality and serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein 3 concentrations

Nele Friedrich1, Robin Haring, Matthias Nauck

  • 1Institute for Community Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University, D-17487 Greifswald, Germany. nele.friedrich@uni-greifswald.de

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|February 19, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Low levels of Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) are linked to increased mortality risk in men. Low IGFBP-3 also correlates with higher all-cause mortality in women.

Area of Science:

  • Endocrinology
  • Epidemiology
  • Gerontology

Background:

  • Conflicting findings exist regarding serum Insulin-like Growth Factor-I (IGF-I) and IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) associations with mortality.
  • Previous research has yielded inconsistent results on the relationship between IGF-I/IGFBP-3 levels and mortality outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the association between serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels and mortality from all causes, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer.
  • This prospective, population-based study aimed to clarify the relationship between IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and mortality risks.

Main Methods:

  • The Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) cohort included 1988 men and 2069 women aged 20-79 years, with an average follow-up of 8.5 years.
  • Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were measured using chemiluminescence immunoassays and categorized into low, normal, and high groups based on sex- and age-specific percentiles.
  • Mortality data, including causes of death, were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision.

Main Results:

  • In men, low IGF-I levels were associated with a nearly 2-fold increased risk of all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality compared to normal levels.
  • No association between IGF-I and mortality was observed in women.
  • Low IGFBP-3 levels were linked to higher all-cause mortality in both men and women.

Conclusions:

  • The study indicates an inverse association between IGF-I levels and mortality from all causes, CVD, and cancer in men.
  • Low IGFBP-3 levels are associated with increased all-cause mortality in both men and women.
  • Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 may serve as potential biomarkers for mortality risk stratification.
Abstract

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