Association between serum resistin and carotid intima media thickness in hypertension patients

Abstract 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: R2 = 0.159, p < 0.001 and mean of maximum carotid IMT: R2 = 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.