Serum resistin, adiposity and insulin resistance in Saudi women with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND: The role of adipocyte hormones in modulating insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance are of increasing interest and importance in studies of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Recently a unique signaling molecule, resistin, has been proposed as playing a role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related insulin resistance, but its relevance to human diabetes remains uncertain. Therefore, we assessed the relationship between serum resistin concentrations and insulin resistance in lean, overweight and obese (OW/OB) non-diabetic and diabetic Saudi women. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: We measured fasting serum resistin levels in 44 diabetic women with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 31.82±4.35 kg/m(2), 21 OW/OB non-diabetic women with a mean BMI 30.71±3.42 kg/m(2) and in 24 lean women with a mean BMI of 23.33±1.24 kg/m(2). Insulin resistance was assessed using the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance formula derived from fasting insulin and glucose levels. RESULTS: The concentrations of fasting serum resistin showed significant differences among the three groups (P<0.001). Mean serum resistin concentrations increased from lean (11.59± 2.08) to OW/OB non-diabetic (16.29±2.29) to diabetic (19.42±3.60 ng/mL) women. Significantly higher levels of glucose (P<0.001) and values for the homeostasis model assessment ratio (HOMA-R) (P<0.01) occurred in the diabetic compared to the lean and OW/OB non-diabetic subjects. Furthermore, resistin correlated significantly and positively with hip circumferences (r=0.39, P=0.039), weight (r=0.51, P=0.005), insulin (r=0.40, P=0.033), HOMA-R (r=0.49, P=0.007) and glucose (r=0.39, P=0.038) in diabetic women. In OW/OB non-diabetic subjects, resistin correlated with insulin (r=0.59, P=0.015) and HOMA-R (r=0.616, P=0.011). No correlation was observed with glucose, height, hip, waist, weight, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) in the lean and OW/OB non-diabetic groups. CONCLUSION: Resistin concentrations are elevated in patients with type 2 diabetes and are associated with obesity and insulin resistance. These data indicate that resistin might be involved in the development of diabetes in humans.