Visfatin, resistin, hsCRP and insulin resistance in relation to abdominal obesity in women with rheumatoid arthritis

CER50
2010 Vol.28, N°1
PI 0019, PF 0024
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PMID: 20346233 [PubMed]

Received: 20/11/2008
Accepted : 05/10/2009
In Press: 10/03/2010
Published: 15/03/2010

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:
The increasing incidence of overweight and obesity in modern societies, and the demonstration that adipose tissue produces numerous cytokines, increases interest of investigators in the associations between adipose tissue, adipokines, CRP and insulin resistance in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their possible role in the pathogenesis of this disease.The purpose of the study was to investigate serum levels of visfatin, resistin, hsCRP and insulin resistance in relation to abdominal obesity in patients with RA.
METHODS:
Serum levels of visfatin, resistin, hsCRP and glucose metabolism parameters were measured in 46 women with RA – 22 without abdominal obesity and 24 with abdominal obesity.
RESULTS:
Patients with RA and abdominal obesity showed significant lower visfatin levels (1.00±0.93 vs. 1.44±0.85 ng/ml; p<0.05) in comparison to those without abdominal obesity. We found significant correlations between levels of visfatin and resistin (r=0.41; p<0.01); and between resistin levels and hsCRP levels (r=0.41; p<0.01); resistin levels and leucocytes count (r=0.36; p<0.05); and resistin levels and ESR (r=0.30; p<0.05), in the whole investigated group. Visfatin as well as resistin did not correlate with anthropometric parameters or insulin resistance in whole patients with RA.
CONCLUSIONS:
In patients with RA and abdominal obesity, in comparison to patients without abdominal obesity, significantly lower visfatin levels have been demonstrated. Resistin was associated with laboratory markers of inflammation. Positive correlation between levels of visfatin and resistin may suggest that visfatin plays a role in inflammation in RA.