ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Soluble P-selectin (sP-sel) represents a marker of platelet activation. This study was addressed to investigate the associations of sP-sel plasma levels with anthropometric parameters, insulin resistance, and related metabolic and prothrombotic factors. METHODS AND RESULTS: 50 non-diabetic women, 17 with normal weight and 33 overweight and obese, aged 18-55 years, were examined. Measurements included body mass index (BMI), central fat accumulation (evaluated by waist circumference), systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels, fasting plasma concentrations of sP-sel, glucose, lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol), insulin, and prothrombotic factors (plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, von Willebrand factor, fibrinogen), and insulin resistance (estimated by the homeostasis model assessment: HOMA(IR)). Overweight and obese women had higher fasting plasma sP-sel concentrations compared to normal-weight controls (P<0.05). sP-sel concentrations were positively correlated with BMI, HOMA(IR), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting insulin, triglyceride and PAI-1 plasma levels (P<0.05 for all the correlations). When a multiple regression analysis was performed, with P-sel as dependent variable and all the other parameters as independent variables, P-sel did not maintain a significant relationship with any of these variables. CONCLUSIONS: s-P-selectin plasma concentrations are higher in overweight and obese insulin resistant subjects, thus possibly contributing to the cardiovascular risk of these patients. However, body fatness and insulin resistance are not independent determinants of fasting plasma sP-sel concentrations.
Subject(s)
Blood Glucose/metabolism , Insulin Resistance , Lipids/blood , Obesity/blood , P-Selectin/blood , Adolescent , Adult , Anthropometry , Body Mass Index , Cardiovascular Diseases/blood , Cardiovascular Diseases/epidemiology , Case-Control Studies , Female , Fibrinogen/analysis , Humans , Middle Aged , Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor 1/blood , Platelet Activation , Regression Analysis , Risk Factors , Solubility , von Willebrand Factor/analysisABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with a chronic low-grade inflammatory condition. Haptoglobin is a glycoprotein involved in the acute-phase response to inflammation, and it is increased in obese subjects. The possibility that hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance may directly increase haptoglobin levels has never been tested. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of haptoglobin serum levels with anthropometric parameters, insulin levels, insulin resistance and related metabolic variables in overweight and obese women. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study of 194 non-diabetic overweight and obese subjects, aged 18-68 yr. Measurements included body mass index (BMI), central fat accumulation [evaluated by waist circumference (WC)], systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and fasting concentrations of haptoglobin, insulin, glucose, lipids (triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol), and insulin resistance as estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMAIR). RESULTS: Haptoglobin serum levels showed a positive association with BMI (p<0.001), WC (p<0.001), HOMAIR (p<0.001), and fasting insulin (p<0.001), triglyceride (p<0.001) and glucose (p<0.05) blood levels. However, only insulin maintained a significant independent association with haptoglobin (p<0.001) when a multiple regression analysis was performed and age, BMI (or WC), blood pressure levels, HOMAIR, and fasting insulin, glucose, and lipid blood concentrations were entered as independent variables. CONCLUSIONS: Higher haptoglobin serum levels seem to be a strong marker of hyperinsulinemia, independently of BMI, body fat distribution, insulin resistance and related parameters.
