Association of Vaspin with Metabolic Syndrome: The Pivotal Role of Insulin Resistance

Background: Previous studies evaluating the relationship between serum vaspin concentrations and metabolic syndrome (MetS) have yielded contrasting results. Additionally, contribution of general and abdominal obesity, chronic inflammation, and insulin resistance to this relationship remains unknown. Methods: In a cross-sectional setting, we investigated the association between vaspin and MetS in 145 subjects ranging from normoglycemia to type 2 diabetes. Vaspin concentrations were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Women had 29% higher vaspin concentrations compared with men. Subjects with MetS (51% of all participants) had higher vaspin concentrations (P= 0.019 in women and P< 0.001 in men). In logistic regression, vaspin significantly predicted raised fasting plasma glucose (P< 0.001), and raised triglycerides (P< 0.001) after controlling for age in both sexes. Moreover, vaspin was the significant predictor for reduced high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and raised waist circumference in women and men, respectively. Considering MetS as a whole, vaspin predicted MetS even after adjustment for age, medications, diabetes, total cholesterol, and waist circumference in both sexes (odds ratio [OR], 3.88; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.36 to 11.05; P= 0.011 for women; OR, 3.16; 95% CI, 1.28 to 7.78; P= 0.012 for men). However, this relationship rendered nonsignificant after introducing homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) in women (P= 0.089) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (P= 0.073) or HOMA-IR in men (P= 0.095). Conclusion: Vaspin is associated with some but not all components of MetS. Vaspin is a predictor of MetS as a single entity, independent of obesity. This relationship is largely ascribed to the effects of insulin resistance and chronic inflammation.