Open AccessSerum fetuin‐B is positively associated with intrahepatic triglyceride content and increases the risk of insulin resistance in obese Chinese adults: A cross‐sectional study
Author(s) -
Wang Dongmei,
Liu Yijie,
Liu Suhuan,
Lin Lin,
Liu Changqin,
Shi Xiulin,
Chen Zheng,
Lin Mingzhu,
Yang Shuyu,
Li Zhibin,
Li Xuejun
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of diabetes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.949
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1753-0407
pISSN - 1753-0393
DOI - 10.1111/1753-0407.12632
Subject(s) - medicine , insulin resistance , fetuin , endocrinology , triglyceride , insulin , diabetes mellitus , confounding , odds ratio , fatty liver , gastroenterology , disease , cholesterol , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , glycoprotein
Background Fetuin‐B impairs insulin action in myotubes and hepatocytes and causes glucose intolerance in mice. This study explored the correlation between serum fetuin‐B and intrahepatic triglyceride (IHTG) content, and the association between fetuin‐B and the risk of insulin resistance in the general adult population. Methods A cross‐sectional study of 1318 obese adults who underwent serum fetuin‐B testing and hepatic ultrasonography was conducted in Xiamen, China. The IHTG content was determined in 428 subjects by magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Results Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease prevalence was significantly higher in those with the highest serum fetuin‐B concentrations and the highest IHTC content (Tertile 3) than in subjects in Tertiles 1 and 2 (62.6% vs 60.7% and 54.3%, respectively [ P = 0.032], and 15.3% vs 12.8% and 12.7%, respectively [ P = 0.049]). There was a significant association between increasing serum fetuin‐B tertiles and both increasing fasting insulin concentrations (mean [± SD] 11.9 ± 6.8, 12.7 ± 7.6, and 13.3 ± 6.4 mIU/L in Tertiles 1, 2 and 3, respectively; P = 0.006) and prevalence of insulin resistance (54.4%, 58.9%, and 64.5% in Tertiles 1, 2 and 3, respectively; P = 0.010). In linear regression analysis, IHTG content was independently and positively correlated with serum fetuin‐B (regression coefficient 0.015; P = 0.045). With adjustment for potential confounders, serum fetuin‐B was independently associated with increased risk of insulin resistance, with an adjusted odds ratio per standard deviation increase in fetuin‐B of 1.14 (95% confidence interval 1.01–1.30; P = 0.031). Conclusions The results demonstrate the role of fetuin‐B linking liver fat accumulation to insulin resistance in humans.