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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
1   Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain
2   Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain
,
Ildefonso Hernández-Aguado
3   Department of Public Health, Miguel Hernández University (Campus of San Juan), Alicante, Spain
,
Inmaculada Jarrín Vera
3   Department of Public Health, Miguel Hernández University (Campus of San Juan), Alicante, Spain
,
Mónica Recasens
1   Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain
2   Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain
,
Eduardo Esteve
1   Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain
2   Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain
,
Roser Casamitjana
4   Endocrine Laboratory, University Clinical Hospital, Barcelona, Spain
,
Wifredo Ricart
1   Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain
2   Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain
,
José Manuel Fernández-Real
1   Unit of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Dr Josep Trueta Hospital, Girona, Spain
2   Girona Institute for Biomedical Research, Girona, Spain
› Author AffiliationsFinancial support: This work is partly funded by grants G03/212, G03/028 and C03/08 (Redes Temáticas de Investigación Cooperativa, to J-M.F-R) from the Carlos III Health Institute, Spain. A. L-B. is a Research Investigator of the Fund for Scientific Research “Ramon y Cajal” (Ministry of Education and Science, Madrid, Spain).
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Publication History

Received 23 August 2006

Accepted after resubmission 18 January 2006

Publication Date:
25 November 2017 (online)

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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
 

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