Serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein is independently associated with coronary atherosclerotic burden measured by intravascular ultrasound

Abstract Objectives Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) has been shown to have an effect on insulin resistance, lipid metabolism, and atherosclerosis in animals. We therefore investigated the association between the serum A-FABP level and coronary atherosclerosis. Methods One hundred twenty-five consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) were enrolled after coronary angiography. Plaque volume in non-culprit coronary arteries was determined using intravascular ultrasound and expressed as percent plaque volume (%PV). Voluntary blood donors ( n  = 120), matched for age and gender, served as controls. Serum levels of A-FABP, adiponectin, and inflammatory markers were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The serum A-FABP level in CAD patients was significantly higher than in control subjects (median [25th–75th percentiles], 27.2 [20.5–37.1] ng/mL vs. 18.9 [14.6–24.5] ng/mL) ( p r  = 0.33, p Conclusion Increased serum A-FABP was significantly associated with a greater coronary plaque burden. Our findings revealed that the measurement of serum A-FABP could be utilized for the evaluation of the extent of coronary atherosclerosis.