Serum resistin levels in Syrian obese patients with diabetes mellitus type II.

OBJECTIVE To determine serum resistin levels in obese patients with diabetes mellitus type II. METHODS We studied 87 subjects in an sectional study, divided into 3 groups: obese, obese diabetic and normal subjects. Their age, gender and body mass index were recorded. Serum resistin, insulin, glucose, cholesterol, high-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, triglyceride, urea and creatinine were measured. RESULTS The mean +/- SD plasma resistin for the obese diabetic group is 7.32 +/- 3.74 ug/ml versus 4.25 +/- 1.77 ug/ml in the control group (p=0.021). Intro-group comparison of obese subjects (diabetics versus non-diabetics) revealed higher levels of resistin, glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol and low density lipoproteins in diabetic subjects, but no statistically significant difference of high density lipoproteins. Furthermore, resistin correlated significantly and positively with body mass index (r = 0.375; p<0.05), resistin correlated significantly and negatively with high-density lipoproteins (r = -0. 363; p<0.05). CONCLUSION Serum resistin levels are increased in obese patients with type 2 diabetes compared with controls. Resistin appears to be a possible link between obesity and type 2 diabetes in humans.