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Investigation of the Relationship Between Retinol Binding Protein 4, Metabolic Syndrome and Insulin Resistance in Iranian Obese 5-17 Year Old Children
Saki, Forough; Ashkani-Esfahani, Soheil & Karamizadeh, Zohreh
Abstract
Objective: Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) has recently been reported to be associated with insulin
resistance (IR) and the metabolic syndrome by a number of researchers in various populations. However,
controversies are present among different studies, which might be due to the differences between various
ethnic, age, and sex groups. This study aimed to determine whether RBP4 can be assumed as a marker of IR
and the metabolic syndrome in the Iranian obese children.
Methods: In the present longitudinal cross-sectional study, 100 5-17 years old obese children were recruited
from January 1, 2011 to February 1, 2012. The patients’ information including the demographic variables,
health status and behavior, and daily physical activity were collected. Moreover, serum RBP4 was measured
and correlated with the homeostasis model assessment of IR index (HOMA-IR), components of the metabolic
syndrome, and lipoprotein metabolism.
Findings: The results revealed a positively significant correlation between RBP4 and the HOMA-IR index
(P=0.02). Partial Spearman test also revealed a significant correlation between RBP4 plasma concentrations
and the components of the metabolic syndrome, including waist circumference, systolic (but not diastolic)
blood-pressure, and fasting blood sugar (P<0.05). However, no significant correlation was observed between
RBP4 and HDL (P=0.3) as well as triglycerides concentration (P=0.1). Moreover, plasma RBP4 level gradually
increased with the increasing number of the metabolic syndrome components.
Conclusion: Regarding the results of the present study and previous investigations, RBP4 seems to be a
suggestible predictive marker for both insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in Iranian obese children;
however, further studies are needed to be conducted among different ethnicities and age groups in order to
determine the predictive value of this correlation.
Keywords
Retinol Binding Protein 4; Insulin Resistance; Metabolic Syndrome; Obesity; Children
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