Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein in a Caucasian population: a new marker of metabolic syndrome?

Background  Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) has been suggested as playing an important role in the pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum A-FABP as a marker of metabolic syndrome and to assess its predictive accuracy in a Caucasian population. Materials and methods  Anthropometric and serum analyses were performed for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, A-FABP, insulin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c), low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), uric acid, and glucose on 67 non-obese, healthy subjects and 71 subjects with metabolic syndrome. Quicki-quantitative insulin sensitivity check index, receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-curve) and χ2 analysis were completed. Results  Compared with healthy controls, subjects with metabolic syndrome had a significantly higher A-FABP serum level (mean: 42·4 vs. 23·7 µg L−1; P < 0·01). The A-FABP serum level correlated with fasting levels of insulin (r = 0·34; P < 0·01), glucose (r = 0·21; P = 0·01), triglycerides (r = 0·4; P < 0·01), BMI (r = 0·57; P < 0·01) and waist circumference (r = 0·51; P < 0·01), but negatively with HDL-c (r = –0·23; P < 0·01) and Quicki (r = –0·32; P < 0·01). The relationship was defined between serum A-FABP level and metabolic syndrome diagnosis with 40% sensitivity and 99% specificity at A-FABP level 16·4 µg L−1. Conclusions  Serum A-FABP level might be an independent marker of metabolic syndrome in a Caucasian population.