The correlation study of serum retinol binding protein 4 and atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the association of Retinol binding protein 4(RBP4) with carotid atherosclerosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Methods: ELISA was used to detect the serum RBP4 level in 100 T2DM in 39 of which carotid atherosclerosis was observed and in the 30 controls, transthyretin (TTR) and other clinical index were also tested. Results: Serum RBP4 level and RBP4/ TTR were significantly higher in T2DM with/without carotid atherosclerosis than that in the controls (P< 0.05). Moreover, RBP4/TTR was markedly increased in T2DM with carotid atherosclerosis than that in T2DM without carotid atherosclerosis (P<0.05). However, there was no difference in serum RBP4 level between T2DM with and without carotid atherosclerosis. Logistic regression analysis showed RBP4 and RBP4/TTR were the important risk factors for carotid atherosclerosis in T2DM (b>0, OR>1, P<0.1). Conclusion: Serum RBP4 may be a novel risk factor for diabetes with atherosclerosis. Importantly, the RBP4/TTR ratio is more valuable than serum RBP4 concentration to used to evaluate risk factor for carotid atherosclerosis in T2DM. (authors)