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Relationship between resistin and aPAI-1 levels with insulin resistance in Saudi children
Nasser M Al-Daghri1, Omar S Al-Attas, Majed S Alokail
1Biochemistry Department, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. aldaghri2000@hotmail.com
Insights
Resistin levels did not correlate with insulin resistance in Saudi children, but increased active plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (aPAI-1) may indicate cardiovascular disease risk. Gender differences were observed in these associations.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Metabolic Syndrome Research
- Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors
Background:
- The association between resistin and insulin resistance (IR) in humans remains controversial.
- Limited research exists on plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and IR in pediatric populations.
- This study investigates resistin and active PAI-1 (aPAI-1) in Saudi children concerning obesity and IR.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate serum resistin and aPAI-1 levels in Saudi children.
- To determine the association of resistin and aPAI-1 with obesity-related complications.
- To explore potential gender-related differences in these associations.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study of 150 Saudi children (73 boys, 77 girls) with varied Body Mass Index (BMI).
- Assessment included anthropometric measurements and fasting serum levels of glucose, insulin, lipid profile, resistin, angiotensin II, and aPAI-1.
- Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated.
Main Results:
- Resistin showed positive correlations with hip circumference, waist circumference, and BMI.
- Active PAI-1 (aPAI-1) correlated positively with total cholesterol, triglycerides, HOMA-IR, and insulin levels.
- Significant associations of aPAI-1 with IR and resistin with obesity markers were noted in girls but not in boys.
Conclusions:
- Resistin levels were not found to be correlated with insulin resistance in this cohort of Saudi children.
- Elevated aPAI-1 levels may be linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases in children with obesity and IR.
- Observed gender differences suggest sexual dimorphism influences the relationship between resistin, aPAI-1, obesity, and IR.
Background:
Association of resistin with insulin resistance (IR) in humans is still controversial and few studies have investigated the association of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) with IR in children. The purpose of the present study was therefore to evaluate serum levels of resistin and active PAI-1 (aPAI-1) in Saudi children and their association with the various obesity-related complications.
Methods:
In this cross-sectional study, 73 boys and 77 girls with varying body mass index (BMI) were recruited. They were assessed for anthropometric measures and fasting serum levels of glucose, insulin, lipid profile, resistin, angiotensin II (ANG II) and aPAI-1.
Results:
Resistin was positively correlated with hips (r = 0.33, P < 0.01), waist (r = 0.23, P < 0.05) and BMI (r = 0.33, P < 0.01). The association of resistin with the markers of obesity was also significant in girls but lost significance in boys. aPAI-1 was positively correlated with total cholesterol (r = 0.24; P < 0.01), triglycerides (r = 0.2, P < 0.05), HOMA-IR (r = 0.26, P < 0.01) and insulin (r = 0.26, P < 0.01). The significant association of aPAI-1 with IR was also true in girls but lost significance in boys.
Conclusion:
Resistin is not correlated with IR and further studies are needed to explore the role of resistin especially in childhood obesity. In contrast, increased levels of PAI-1 may contribute to the risk of cardiovascular diseases related to obesity and insulin resistance in children. The observed gender-related differences in the association between resistin, aPAI-1 with obesity markers and IR could be attributed to sexual dimorphism in body fat distribution.
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