Sex-specific, independent associations of insulin resistance with erythrocyte sedimentation rate in apparently healthy subjects

Abel López-Bermejo; Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado; Inmaculada Jarrín Vera; Mónica Recasens; Eduardo Esteve; Roser Casamitjana; Wifredo Ricart; José Manuel Fernández-Real

doi:10.1160/TH06-08-0461

Thrombosis and Haemostasis, Table of Contents

Thromb Haemost 2007; 97(02): 240-244
DOI: 10.1160/TH06-08-0461

Wound Healing and Inflammation/Infection

Schattauer GmbH

Sex-specific, independent associations of insulin resistance with erythrocyte sedimentation rate in apparently healthy subjects

Abel López-Bermejo

¹Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain

²Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain

,

Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado

³Department of Public Health, Miguel Hernández University (Campus of San Juan), Alicante, Spain

,

Inmaculada Jarrín Vera

³Department of Public Health, Miguel Hernández University (Campus of San Juan), Alicante, Spain

,

Mónica Recasens

¹Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain

²Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain

,

Eduardo Esteve

¹Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain

²Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain

,

Roser Casamitjana

⁴Endocrine Laboratory, University Clinical Hospital, Barcelona, Spain

,

Wifredo Ricart

¹Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain

²Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain

,

José Manuel Fernández-Real

¹Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain

²Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain

› Author Affiliations

Abstract

Summary

Insulin resistance and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, a non-specific marker of inflammation) are known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Although obesity is associated with increased ESR, it is unclear whether insulin resistance is associated with ESR in humans. The relationship between insulin resistance and ESR was studied in a cross-sectional, health-area based study of 140 (89 men and 51 women) apparently healthy Caucasians subjects. ESR, additional inflammatory markers [soluble tumor necrosis alpha receptors 1 and 2 (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2); C-reactive protein (CRP)], and insulin sensitivity ( S I, frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test with minimal model analysis) were assessed in all subjects. An interaction with sex was documented in the relationship between ESR and both insulin resistance and obesity (p < 0.05), as log ESR correlated with log S I in men (r= –0.29, p = 0.009), but not in women (r= –0.14, p = 0.33), and correlated with body mass index (BMI) in women (r=0.49, p= < 0.0001), but not in men (r=0.15, p = 0.16). On multivariate analyses, these associations proved to be independent of known covariates, such as age, hematocrit, smoking and additional inflammatory markers in both men and women. In a replication study, variables independently associated with ESR were also insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment) in men and obesity markers (either BMI or fat mass) in women. In conclusion, ESR is independently associated with either insulin resistance or obesity in a sex-specific manner. These findings contribute to explain the known relationship of this inflammatory marker with cardiovascular disease.

Keywords

Diabetes mellitus - obesity - inflammation - insulin sensitivity - erythrocyte sedimentation rate

Full Text

References

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