Serum resistin levels inversely associated with cardiovascular risk indices in type 2 diabetics from central Mexico

Since, resistin has been associated with coronary heart disease and with the progression of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D), our objective was to determine the correlation between resistin and cardiovascular risk (CVR) in subjects with increasing degrees of hyperglycemia.

Using a cross-sectional study design, the anthropometric and biochemical profiles were collected from 180 subjects from Puebla, Mexico. Subjects were separated into Normoglycemic (NGT), pre-diabetic (PT2D), or T2D. CVR was determined by the Atherosclerosis Coefficient ((total cholesterol-high-density lipoprotein)/high-density lipoprotein), Castelli 1 index (total cholesterol/high-density lipoprotein), Castelli 2 index (low-density lipoprotein/high-density lipoprotein), Framingham risk score (https://www.mdcalc.com/framingham-coronary-heart-disease-risk-score#next-steps), and the CVR index (CVRI=triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein). Differences between groups were determined using ANOVA. Partial correlation assessed the association between resistin and CVR indices. Logistic regression was used to determine the risk [Odds ratio (OR)] between resistin and CVR.

Serum Resistin levels were similar between NGT, PT2D, and T2D. No correlation was observed between resistin and CVR indices for the NGT and PT2D. However, T2D demonstrated a strong negative association between the Framingham (r=-0.34, p=0.01), the Castelli 1 index (r=-0.29, p<0.01), and the CVRI (r=-0.38, p<0.05), when adjusted for sex and taking treatment for T2D. For T2D, when the subjects were separated by resistin into tertiles, elevated resistin was associated with a benefit for the Castelli 1 index (T₁ v T₃: OR=0.15, 95% CI: 0.03-0.070) and the CVRI (T₁ v T₃: OR=0.13, 95% CI: 0.03-0.66).

Here, we demonstrate that, for T2D, elevated resistin levels lowered the CVR in Mexicans.