Background: Resistin is an adipocytokine belonging to the family of cysteine rich secretory proteins. We sought to determine if a correlation between resistin levels and carotid atherosclerosis exists in hypertensive patients.
Methods: This study consisted of 307 treated hypertensive patients. Subjects were grouped into tertiles according to their resistin level.
Results: Carotid intima media thickness (IMT) was significantly highest in the third tertile. The first tertile had a mean carotid IMT and a mean of maximum carotid IMT of 0.63+/-0.08 and 0.81+/-0.10 mm, respectively. The 2nd tertile had measurements of 0.63+/-0.08 and 0.81+/-0.12 mm, and the 3rd tertile 0.67+/-0.12 and 0.86+/-0.11 for the same parameters. (p=0.002). Resistin levels were independently associated with the carotid IMT (mean carotid IMT: R(2)=0.159, p<0.001 and mean of maximum carotid IMT: R(2)=0.162, p<0.001) after controlling for age, gender, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, smoking and DM. The tertile level of resistin was significantly associated with (odds ratio=3.097, p=0.004) risk of coronary artery disease after controlling for age, gender, HDL cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, smoking, DM and carotid IMT.
Conclusion: Serum resistin is independently associated with increasing carotid IMT in treated hypertensive patients.