The fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) is a strong biomarker of metabolic syndrome and lipodystrophy in HIV-infected patients
Received 23 May 2007; received in revised form 18 September 2007; accepted 24 September 2007. published online 05 November 2007.
Abstract
Background
The incidence of metabolic abnormalities in HIV-infected patients is increasing. Fatty acid binding protein-4 (FABP4) is an emerging biomarker for metabolic-related disturbances. We aimed to study FABP4 as a marker of metabolic syndrome (MS) or lipodystrophy (LD) in HIV patients.
Methods
FABP4 plasma concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunoassays in 183 HIV-infected patients, enrolled as part of a study aimed at identifying predictors of atherosclerosis. The presence of MS or LD was diagnosed according to standard clinical methods. Univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were performed.
Results
FABP4 concentration was significantly higher in those patients with either MS or LD criteria than those without any metabolic disturbance. Similarly, FABP4 concentration significantly increased with an increasing of MS features and was strongly correlated with body-mass index, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol concentrations, insulin and blood pressure. Patients in the highest quartile of FABP4 presented a six-fold increased odds ratio for MS and a three-fold increased odds for LD, adjusted by age, sex, body-mass index and the antiretroviral therapy.
Conclusions
FABP4 is a strong plasma marker of metabolic disturbances in HIV-infected patients, and therefore, could serve to guide therapeutic intervention in this group of patients.
ABSTRACT