Abstract

Background: Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) plays crucial roles in obesity, insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, inflammation, and atherosclerosis. The present study aimed to evaluate the relationship between fasting serum A-FABP levels and aortic stiffness in geriatric persons with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: General characteristics and fasting serum A-FABP concentrations were measured in 120 geriatric persons with T2DM. Serum A-FABP levels were determined using an enzyme immunoassay kit. A carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) value > 10m/s, as determined using the SphygmoCor system, was defined as an indicator of aortic stiffness.

Results: Among the 120 geriatric participants with T2DM, 57 participants (47.5%) were classified in the aortic stiffness group. Systolic blood pressure (p = 0.031) and serum A-FABP levels (p < 0.001) were higher in the aortic stiffness group than in the control group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis with additional variables also noted A-FABP level (odds ratio: 1.078, 95% confidence interval: 1.032-1.126, p = 0.001) was an independent predictors of aortic stiffness in geriatric persons with T2DM. Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis also showed that logarithmically transformed A-FABP levels (log-A-FABP, β = 0.217, adjusted R² change = 0.040, p = 0.013) were positively associated with cfPWV values in geriatric persons with T2DM.

Conclusions: Serum A-FABP level is an independent predictor of aortic stiffness and is positively associated with cfPWV values in geriatric persons with T2DM.