Serum resistin is associated with C-reactive protein and LDL- cholesterol in type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease in a Saudi population

Aims: Resistin is an adipocyte-derived factor implicated in obesity-associated type 2 diabetes (T2DM). This study examines the association between human serum resistin, T2DM and coronary heart disease. Methods: One hundred and fourteen Saudi Arabian patients (male: female ratio 46: 68; age 51.4 (mean +/- SD) 11.7 years; median and range: 45.59 (11.7) years and BMI: 27.1 (mean +/- SD) 8.1 Kgm(2) median and range: 30.3 (6.3) were studied. Serum resistin and C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation CRP levels, were measured in all subjects. (35 patients had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); 22 patients had coronary heart disease (CHD). Results: Serum resistin levels were 1.2-fold higher in type 2 diabetes and 1.3-fold higher in CHD than in controls (p = 0.01). In addition, CRP was significantly increased in both T2DM and CHD patients (p = 0.007 and p = 0.002 respectively). The use of regression analysis also determined that serum resistin correlated with CRP levels (p = 0.04, R-2 0.045). Conclusion: The findings from this study further implicate resistin as a circulating protein associated with T2DM and CHD. In addition this study also demonstrates an association between resistin and CRP, a marker of inflammation in type 2 diabetic patients.