Synergistic Association of Carcinoembryonic Antigen and Carbohydrate Antigen 19-9 on the Risk of Abnormal Glucose Regulation

PURPOSE: Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) are tumor-associated antigens. An increased serum level of CEA and CA19-9 separately has been reported in diabetes. In this study, we examined the composite effect of elevated serum levels of both CEA and CA19-9 on subjects with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 3568 adults who attended a health examination were enrolled into this cross-sectional study. Subjects were grouped into four groups according to the median serum CEA and CA19-9 levels. RESULTS: Subjects with high CEA and high CA19-9 levels had the highest proportions of diabetes (43.9%) and prediabetes (33.04%). There was a statistically significant trend in the proportion of diabetes across the four groups (P < 0.001). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed higher risks of type 2 diabetes in subjects with high CEA and low CA19-9 levels (odds ratio [OR] = 2.10, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.39–3.18, P < 0.001) and in those with high CA19-9 and low CEA levels (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.42–3.34, P < 0.001) than in those with low CEA and low CA19-9 levels; among these four groups, the highest risk of type 2 diabetes was observed in subjects with high CEA and high CA19-9 levels (OR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.81–3.88, P < 0.001). The risk of prediabetes was significantly higher only in subjects with high CEA and high CA19-9 levels compared to those with low CEA and low CA19-9 levels (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.08–1.61, P = 0.006). CONCLUSION: CEA and CA19-9 had a synergistic ability to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.