Serum heart type fatty acid binding protein levels in metabolic syndrome

Heart type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is a major cytoplasmic low-molecular weight protein and released into the circulation when the myocardium is injured. Previous studies have demonstrated that H-FABP is closely associated with acute coronary syndrome, hypertrophic and dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure, stroke, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, pulmonary embolism. The aim of this study was to investigate serum H-FABP value in the patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS). We measured serum H-FABP levels in 55 consecutive patients with MetS, and 73 age-matched control subjects by using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Serum H-FABP levels were significantly higher in patients with MetS than in control subjects 18.37 ± 13.0 and 7.9 ± 6.5 ng/ml, respectively, (P < 0.001). Serum H-FABP levels were significantly higher in patients with diabetic MetS than in without diabetic MetS, 24.0 ± 10.2 and 13.9 ± 12.6 ng/ml, respectively, (P: 0,003). There were statistically significant differences between patients without diabetic MetS and control subjects, 13.8 ± 12.6 and 7.9 ± 6.5 ng/ml, respectively, (P = 0.023). Patients with MetS have an increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases. H-FABP seems to be a marker that will enable the detection of cardiac injury in the early asymptomatic period in patients with MetS.