Serum Resistin Concentration in Obese Diabetic patients: Any Possible Relation to Insulin Resistance Indices?

esistin, an adipocyte secreted hormone, has been suggested to link obesity with type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance in rodent models, but its relevance to human diabetes remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between serum resistin concentrations with markers of insulin resistance and obesity in type 2 diabetes and non-diabetic obese subjects. Materials and Methods: In this cross sectional study, consisting of 35 obese subjects with type 2 diabetes (16 women and 19 men, age 44.63±1.08 yr) and 35 obese non-diabetic subjects (19 women and 16 men, age 43.54±1.54 yr), fasting lipid profiles were measured by enzymatic methods; NycoCard HbA1c system was used to measure HbA1c. Serum resistin, insulin and glucose levels were measured by an enzyme immunoassay, and glucose oxidase methods respectively. Insulin resistance index was calculated from fasting glucose and insulin according to homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR). Results: Mean insulin resistance index (HOMAIR), HbA1c, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides and fasting glucose in diabetics were significantly higher than in non-diabetic subjects (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in resistin levels between non-diabetic (7.16±3.72 ng/ml) and diabetic (6.40±3.66 ng/ml) obese subjects. Resistin levels in diabetic (7.46±3.98 vs. 5.51± 3.20 ng/mL) and non-diabetic (8.15±4.60 vs. 5.97±2.31 ng/mL) women were significantly higher than men in both groups. A significant negative correlation between diastolic blood pressure and resistin (r= -0.381; p=0.024) was observed only in the control groups. Conclusion: Based on the results, it appears that resistin links between obesity and type II diabetes in humans is still a controversial topic and requires further investigation.