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Heart-type fatty acid binding protein levels in elderly diabetics without known cardiovascular disease
Selvihan Beysel1,2, Muhammed Kizilgul3, Mustafa Ozbek4
1Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Eskisehir State Hospital, Eskisehir.
Insights
Serum heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) levels were similar in elderly diabetics and controls. However, H-FABP may provide supplementary cardiovascular information when combined with fibrinogen levels in diabetic patients.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Diabetology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is elevated in elderly individuals with diabetes mellitus.
- Serum heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is a biomarker for myocardial ischemia.
- The study investigated H-FABP associations with CVD risk factors and atherosclerosis in elderly diabetics without overt CVD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between serum H-FABP levels and traditional cardiovascular risk factors.
- To assess the association of H-FABP with inflammatory markers and subclinical atherosclerosis in elderly diabetics.
- To determine the diagnostic value of H-FABP as a standalone or supplementary cardiovascular marker.
Main Methods:
- Fifty elderly diabetic patients without overt CVD and 30 healthy controls were enrolled.
- Measurements included anthropometrics, biochemical parameters, serum H-FABP, hs-CRP, fibrinogen, and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).
- Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate associations, adjusting for multiple variables.
Main Results:
- Diabetic patients exhibited significantly higher serum fibrinogen, CIMT, and hs-CRP compared to controls.
- Mean serum H-FABP levels did not significantly differ between diabetic patients and controls.
- Serum H-FABP positively correlated with fibrinogen, hs-CRP, and CIMT; it was independently associated with increased fibrinogen levels.
Conclusions:
- Serum H-FABP levels were comparable in elderly diabetics and controls without known CVD.
- H-FABP alone has limited diagnostic value for cardiovascular risk in this population.
- H-FABP may offer supplementary cardiovascular insights when used in conjunction with fibrinogen levels.
Background:
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is reported to be higher in elderly diabetics. Serum heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) is a serum marker of myocardial ischemia. We aimed to investigate the association between serum H-FABP level and conventional cardiovascular risk factors, inflammatory markers and subclinical atherosclerosis in elderly diabetics without overt CVD.
Patients And Methods:
A total of 50 elderly diabetic patients without overt CVD and 30 age-, sex- and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls were enrolled. Anthropometric and biochemical parameters, serum H-FABP, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), fibrinogen and carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) were measured. Logistic regression analyses (adjustments for age, sex, hypertension, smoking, diabetes, BMI, blood pressure, lipid, blood glucose, hemoglobin A1c, hs-CRP and fibrinogen) were performed to evaluate the association between H-FABP and cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis indices.
Results:
Serum fibrinogen (421.50±85.52 mg/dL vs 319.17±30.77 mg/dL, p=0.023), CIMT (0.70±0.12 mm vs 0.59±0.06 mm, p<0.001) and hs-CRP (5.72±4.50 mg/dL vs 1.60±0.72 mg/dL, p<0.001) were significantly higher in diabetic patients than controls. The mean serum H-FABP level did not differ between groups (1571.79±604.60 ng/mL vs 1500.25±463.35 ng/mL, p=0.905). H-FABP was positively correlated with fibrinogen (r2=0.473, p<0.001), hs-CRP (r2=0.323, p=0.003) and CIMT (r2=0.467, p<0.001). After full adjustments, the serum H-FABP level was independently associated with an increase in the fibrinogen level (odds ratio [OR] =4.21, 95% confidence level [CI] =1.49-11.90).
Conclusion:
Serum H-FABP was similar in the elderly diabetic patients without known CVD when compared with the nondiabetic control group. H-FABP does not possess a high diagnostic value as a cardiovascular marker when used alone; however, it may add supplementary information in patients with a high fibrinogen level.
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