The association between fetuin-A and testosterone levels and markers of arterial stiffness in Saudi subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background: Inconsistent results have been described regarding the part of fetuin-A and testosterone in arterial stiffness in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Aim: To look into the links of serum fetuin-A and testosterone levels with brachial-Ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a marker of arteriosclerosis and common carotid intima media thickness (ccIMT), a marker of early atherosclerosis, in diabetic Saudi men patients.

Subjects and methods: One hundred and fifty adult male patients with T2DM and 60 non-diabetic control subjects were enrolled from different Saudi Arabia Taif hospitals. Biochemical analysis, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, baPWV and ccIMT were investigated.

Results: Stepwise regression in diabetic patients revealed that the most important predictor of ba-PWV was serum fetuin-A followed by serum glucose and the most important predictor of ccIMT was serum fetuin-A followed by serum HDL then serum triglycerides.

Conclusions: Only fetuin-A levels not testosterone are negatively associated with early markers of atherosclerosis.

Keywords: Brachial-Ankle pulse wave velocity; Common carotid IMT; Diabetes mellitus type 2; Fetuin-A; Saudi; Testosterone.