Adipocytokine levels in patients with atherosclerosis and high triglyceride – glucose index

Aim. To study the levels of adipocytokines and their associations with stable and unstable atherosclerotic plaques in patients with a high triglyceride – glucose (TyG) index.

Materials and methods. The study included 109 men aged 38–79 years (mean age 62.28 ± 8.19 years) with atherosclerosis hospitalized for coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). After microscopy of the intima – media layer, the type of atherosclerotic plaque was determined: stable / unstable. The TyG index ≥ 4.49 was considered as high. Fifty-eight (60%) men had stable plaques in the CA (28 (56%) of them had TyG ≥ 4.49); 39 (40%) men had unstable plaques in the CA (15 (39%) had TyG ≥ 4.49). Blood adipocytokine level was studied using the multiplex assay and the Human Metabolic Hormone Panel V3.

Results. The final analysis included 97 patients. The level of glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) was 1.53 times greater in patients with TyG ≥ 4.49 (34.16 [18.71; 54.98] vs. 22.34 [15.02; 34.77], p = 0.004). In patients with TyG < 4.49, the adipsin level was 1.2 times higher in patients with unstable plaques than in patients with stable ones. In patients with stable plaques and TyG ≥ 4.49, the GIP level was 1.88 times higher than in patients with TyG < 4.49 (42.13 [25.34; 68.95] vs. 22.39 [17.00; 28.60], p = 0.003). In patients with unstable plaques and TyG ≥ 4.49, the level of peptide tyrosine – tyrosine (PYY) was 1.46 times greater than in patients with TyG < 4.49 (46.14 [30.49; 70.66] vs. 31.53 [24.71; 43.01], p = 0.048).

Conclusion. Men with atherosclerosis and TyG ≥ 4.49 had higher blood levels of GIP and PYY. Blood adipsin levels were higher in patients with unstable plaques without insulin resistance.

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