Copeptin and insulin resistance: effect modification by age and 11 β-HSD2 activity in a population-based study

Purpose Arginine vasopressin (AVP) may be involved in metabolic syndrome (MetS) by altering liver glycogenolysis, insulin and glucagon secretion, and pituitary ACTH release. Moreover, AVP stimulates the expression of 11β-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase-type 2 (11β-HSD2) in mineralocorticosteroid cells. We explored whether apparent 11β-HSD2 activity, estimated using urinary cortisol-to-cortisone ratio, modulates the association between plasma copeptin, as AVP surrogate, and insulin resistance/MetS in the general adult population. Methods This was a multicentric, family-based, cross-sectional sample of 1089 subjects, aged 18–90 years, 47% men, 13.4% MetS, in Switzerland. Mixed multivariable linear and logistic regression models were built to investigate the association of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR)/fasting glucose and MetS/Type 2 Diabetes with copeptin, while considering potential confounders or effect modifiers into account. Stratified results by age and 11β-HSD2 activity were presented as appropriate. Results Plasma copeptin was higher in men [median 5.2, IQR (3.7–7.8) pmol/L] than in women [median 3.0, IQR (2.2–4.3) pmol/L], P