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Wifredo Ricart

Publications and source records attributed to Wifredo Ricart.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2005

Opposite relationship between circulating soluble CD14 concentration and endothelial function in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects.

Recent prospective studies indicate endothelial dysfunction and increased risk for cardiovascular events in patients with serological evidence of multiple infections. Soluble CD14 (sCD 14) plays a key role in the neutralization of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a well-established bacterial product inducing endothelial dysfunction. Insulin resistance was recently identified as a significant factor influencing circulating sCD 14 concentration. Thus, we investigated the association of circulating sCD14 and endothelial dysfunction in subjects with well-established insulin resistance (patients with type 2 diabetes, n = 40) compared to control non-diabetic subjects (n = 100). To further explore the underlying mechanisms, we also analysed C-reactive protein and circulating NO2-/NO3- and cyclic GMP in the diabetic group. Serum sCD 14 concentration (ELISA) was found to be differently associated with endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (EDVD, high-resolution ultrasound) in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. In nondiabetic subjects, serum sCD14 and C-reactive protein correlated negatively with EDVD (r = -0.21, p = 0.03, and r = -0.21, p = 0.03, respectively). In a partial correlation analysis, these associations remained significant after controlling for age and weight (sCD 14 and EDVD, r = -0.23, p = 0.023; C-reactive protein and EDVD, r = -0.21, p = 0.03; sCD14 and C-reactive protein, r = 0.30, p = 0.002). In contrast, sCD 14 was positively associated with EDVD in type 2 diabetic patients (r = 0.37, p = 0.019,). Interestingly, sCD14 was also associated with NO2-/NO3- in this group (r = 0.62, p = 0.001, n = 22). EDVD also correlated with cyclic GMP (r = 0.47, p = 0.03, n = 22). In summary, circulating sCD 14 is associated with endothelial function. While in non-diabetic subjects sCD14 behaves as an acute phase reactant, its role in type 2 diabetic patients should be further clarified. These findings need to be confirmed in further studies with larger number of patients.

Brachial Artery↗
PubMed2005

Iron stores, blood donation, and insulin sensitivity and secretion.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiologists have observed that blood donation is associated with decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. METHODS: We investigated the relationship between iron stores and insulin sensitivity, after controlling for known confounding factors, and compared insulin sensitivity between blood donors and individuals who had never donated blood (nondonors). In 181 men, insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion were evaluated through frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests with minimal model analysis. Men who donated blood between 6 months and 5 years before inclusion (n = 21) were carefully matched with nondonors (n = 66) for age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, and cardiovascular risk profile, including blood lipids, blood pressure, and smoking status. RESULTS: Frequent blood donors (2-10 donations) had increased insulin sensitivity [3.42 (1.03) vs 2.45 (1.2) x 10(-4) x min(-1) x mIU/L; P = 0.04], decreased insulin secretion [186 (82) vs 401.7 (254) mIU/L x min; P <0.0001], and significantly lower iron stores [serum ferritin, 101.5 (74) vs 162 (100) microg/L; P = 0.017] than nondonors, but the 2 groups had similar blood hematocrits and blood hemoglobin concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Blood donation is simultaneously associated with increased insulin sensitivity and decreased iron stores. Stored iron seems to impact negatively on insulin action even in healthy people, and not just in classic pathologic conditions associated with iron overload (hemochromatosis and hemosiderosis). According to these observations, it is imperative that a definition of excessive iron stores in healthy people be formulated.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

An inflammation score is better associated with basal than stimulated surrogate indexes of insulin resistance.

Most studies describe the association between one particular inflammatory marker and insulin resistance (IR), features of the metabolic syndrome, or progression to type 2 diabetes. We aimed to build an Inflammation Score as a tool to measure IR-associated inflammatory activity and to evaluate the ability of different surrogate indexes of IR to reflect the inflammatory state. We studied 81 subjects, aged 47.7 +/- 12 yr with a body mass index of 28.3 +/- 4 kg/m(2). The Inflammation Score was composed of: white blood cell count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and soluble fraction of TNF-alpha receptors 1 and 2. All the subjects underwent a frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test, an oral glucose tolerance test, and surrogate indexes of IR were calculated. Each increase in the Inflammation Score was associated with a progressive increase in IR. We found significant differences across categories (0-1, 2, 3, and 4-5 points in the score) in age (P = 0.048), waist circumference (P = 0.015), body mass index (P = 0.013), blood pressure (P = 0.005), and uric acid (P = 0.031). The Inflammation Score was significantly associated with all but three of the surrogate IR indexes [2-h insulin glucose ratio, Gutt's insulin sensitivity (SI) index, and Avignon's 2-h SI index]. Surrogate indexes obtained from basal values showed a similar correlation with the Inflammation Score than the SI from frequently sampled iv glucose tolerance test. In summary, the Inflammation Score is a useful tool in the evaluation of IR-associated inflammatory activity. The surrogate indexes obtained using fasting glucose and insulin appear to better reflect this inflammatory state. Basal rather than stimulated indexes should be used in the evaluation of therapeutic measures aimed at modifying IR-associated inflammatory activity.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Adiponectin, hepatocellular dysfunction and insulin sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin resistance plays a major aetiological role in the development of fatty liver disease. Because adiponectin is a hepatic insulin sensitizer and also an inhibitor of tumour necrosis factor, a cytokine known to induce insulin resistance and liver damage, we wished to study whether low circulating adiponectin would be associated with higher serum concentrations of liver enzymes in healthy subjects. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, population-based study dealing with diabetes prevalence in northern Spain. PATIENTS: Two hundred and fifty-seven apparently healthy Caucasian subjects consecutively enrolled in the study. MEASUREMENTS: Adiponectin serum levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), liver function tests (LFTs) by colourimetry and insulin resistance by the homeostasis model of assessment (HOMA value). RESULTS: Adiponectin levels were negatively correlated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT), before and after adjustment for sex, age, body mass index (BMI) and insulin resistance (ALT; r = -0.32, P < 0.001; adjusted: r = -0.13, P = 0.033; GGT; r = -0.31, P < 0.001; adjusted: r = -0.16, P = 0.011). Additionally, adiponectin correlated with alkaline phosphate (ALKP) only after adjusting for the same confounding variables (r =-0.10, P = 0.098; adjusted: r = -0.14, P = 0.031). A general linear model, adjusting for age, sex and BMI, was constructed to predict the decrease in circulating adiponectin for each LFT value (i.e. ALT, GGT and ALKP) above the median. Beyond one LFT value above the median, serum adiponectin decreased by -0.97 mg/l (95% CI -1.46 to -0.48). In multiple regression analysis, sex, BMI and adiponectin, but not insulin resistance, predicted serum concentrations of both ALT and GGT, explaining 19% and 14% of their variance, respectively. Age, BMI and adiponectin, but not sex or insulin resistance, explained 20% of ALKP variance. CONCLUSIONS: Adiponectin levels are associated in healthy humans with plasma concentrations of various liver function tests. The contributions of adiponectin to maintaining liver integrity through the regulation of both insulin sensitivity and/or the inflammatory response merit further studies.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2004

Identification and characterization of a novel spliced variant that encodes human soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor 2.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in a broad spectrum of inflammatory and immune responses including proliferation, differentiation and cell death induction in several cell types. The biological effects of TNF-alpha are mediated via the cell-surface TNF receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2. Soluble forms of these two receptors, which contain the extracellular ectodomains, are proteolytically cleaved from the membrane. High levels of soluble (s) TNFR2 in serum have been documented in multiple inflammatory pathologies. We describe here a new differential spliced isoform of human TNFR2 missing exons 7 and 8, DS-TNFR2(Delta7,8). This novel isoform lacks the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. Expression studies with DS-TNFR2(Delta7,8) cDNA transiently transfected COS cells showed that it encodes a sTNFR2 receptor of approximately 42 kDa. Soluble DS-TNFR2(Delta7,8) blocked TNF-alpha-induced apoptosis, which suggests that it regulates TNF-alpha function by antagonizing its biological activity. An ELISA was developed that quantifies sTNFR2 generated by alternative splicing. Our data show that sTNFR2 generated by alternative splicing can be found in sera of healthy individuals, at increased levels in patients with sepsis and at high concentrations in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Both intrauterine growth restriction and postnatal growth influence childhood serum concentrations of adiponectin.

OBJECTIVE: Insulin resistance has been linked to intrauterine growth restriction; adiponectin is a strong determinant of insulin sensitivity. We aimed at studying the contributions of birthweight and insulin sensitivity to circulating adiponectin in children born small for gestational age (SGA). DESIGN: Cross-sectional, hospital-based study dealing with insulin sensitivity in SGA children. PATIENTS: Thirty-two prepubertal children born SGA (age 5.4 +/- 2.9 years) and 37 prepubertal children born appropriate for gestational age (AGA, age 5.9 +/- 3.0 years). MEASUREMENTS: Serum levels of fasting glucose, serum lipids, insulin (immunometric assay) and adiponectin concentrations (ELISA) were assessed, and insulin resistance (IR) and insulin secretion (beta-cell) were calculated by the homeostasis model of assessment (HOMA). RESULTS: SGA children had similar HOMA-IR, HOMA-beta-cell and adiponectin concentrations than AGA children. However, in a separate analysis of subjects older than 3 years of age, SGA children showed higher HOMA-IR after adjusting for sex, age and body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS). Circulating adiponectin was higher in SGA children [adjusted means: 14.5 mg/l (95% CI 12.9-16.1) and 18.7 mg/l (95% CI 17.0-20.3) for AGA and SGA children, respectively; P < 0.0001]. Further analysis revealed that the group of overweight SGA (arbitrarily defined as being in the higher quartile for the BMI SDS distribution in the sample) had decreased serum concentrations of adiponectin, compared to lean SGA children [adjusted means: 12.9 mg/l (95% CI 9.3-16.5) vs. 19.0 (95% CI 16.8-21.3), respectively; P = 0.001]. In a multiple regression model, HOMA-IR and SGA status explained 35% and 15% of adiponectin variance, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal growth restriction is associated with insulin resistance but relatively increased adiponectin concentrations, provided overweight does not ensue. The contributions of circulating adiponectin to the increased risks for developing insulin resistance and type-2 diabetes in formerly SGA subjects merit further studies.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2004

Adiponectin is independently associated with glycosylated haemoglobin.

BACKGROUND: In humans, adiponectin has been demonstrated to circulate in inverse proportion to the degree of insulin resistance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between adiponectin and glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) in a population-based study. DESIGN AND METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-seven individuals aged 30-75 years were enrolled in a cross-sectional study. They included patients with type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and stable, good metabolic control (n=32) and individuals with glucose intolerance (n=54). Adiponectin was measured using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (intra-assay and interassay coefficients of variation 3.3 and 7.4% respectively). RESULTS: Adiponectin correlated with age (r=0.161; P=0.006), body mass index (r=-0.197; P=0.001), diastolic blood pressure (r=-0.181; P=0.005), fasting glucose and HbA1c (r=-0.251 and r=-0.22 respectively; P<0.0001), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r=0.442; P<0.001) and serum triglycerides (r=-362; P<0.001). In multiple regression analysis, sex, age, fasting and post-load glucose, and adiponectin independently contributed to 40% of the variance in HbA1c. Among individuals with normal glucose tolerance, fasting glucose (P=0.0033), post-load glucose (P=0.0015), age (P=0.001) and adiponectin (P=0.0083) independently contributed to 21% of the variance in HbA1c. CONCLUSION: Adiponectin is significantly associated with altered glucose metabolism and independently contributes to the variance of HbA1c in a population-based manner.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2004

Adiponectin is associated with vascular function independent of insulin sensitivity.

OBJECTIVE: Adiponectin has been proposed to play important roles in the regulation of energy homeostasis and insulin sensitivity. In experimental studies, adiponectin has also been found to inhibit vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. Decreased adiponectin levels have been described in patients with coronary artery disease, and circulating adiponectin predicts cardiovascular death in patients with renal failure. Because adiponectin appears to influence both insulin sensitivity and vessel wall physiology, we examined insulin sensitivity and vascular function in relation with circulating adiponectin. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We studied brachial artery vascular reactivity (high-resolution external ultrasound) and insulin sensitivity (minimal model) in 68 healthy subjects. Brachial artery vascular reactivity was also determined in 52 patients with altered glucose tolerance: 30 subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFG) or glucose intolerance (GIT) and 22 patients with type 2 diabetes. RESULTS: Circulating adiponectin concentration was significantly associated with insulin sensitivity (r=0.29, P=0.02) and with fasting serum triglycerides (r=-0.29, P=0.02) in healthy subjects. In the latter, adiponectin levels were positively associated with arterial vasodilation in response to nitroglycerin (endothelium-independent vasodilation [EIVD], r=0.41, P=0.002) but not with flux-induced, endothelium-dependent vasodilation (EDVD) (r=0.007, P=NS). In contrast, EIVD was not significantly associated with adiponectin in subjects with IFG, GIT, or type 2 diabetes (r < or =0.10, P=NS). In a multiple linear regression analysis to predict EIVD in healthy subjects, age (P=0.012), sex (P=0.042), and adiponectin concentration (P=0.045), but not BMI, insulin sensitivity, or fasting triglycerides, contributed to 39% of EIVD variance. CONCLUSIONS: Serum adiponectin concentration appears to be significantly associated with vascular function in apparently healthy humans. This association seems to be independent of its link with insulin sensitivity.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2003

A polymorphism in the promoter of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene (-308) is associated with coronary heart disease in type 2 diabetic patients.

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a key cytokine in the inflammation process of atherosclerosis. Through its effects on lipid metabolism, insulin resistance and endothelial function, it might be involved in coronary heart disease (CHD). A biallelic polymorphism within the promoter of TNF-alpha locus at the position -308 has been reported to be associated with TNF production. We have studied the association of this polymorphism with CHD in a Mediterranean non-diabetic and type 2 diabetic population. METHODS: Three hundred and forty one CHD patients (106 with type 2 diabetes), 207 healthy matched control subjects and 135 type 2 diabetic patients without CHD were evaluated. A single nucleotide polymorphism at the promoter TNF-alpha (-308) was analyzed by RFLP-PCR. RESULTS: TNF-alpha (-308) genotype and allele frequencies for A carriers were higher in CHD patients than those observed in the control group (32.3 vs. 23.2%, P=0.03; and 18.8 vs. 12.1%, P=0.0047; respectively) independently of other risk factors. Genotypic analysis revealed that CHD patients with type 2 DM displayed a greater prevalence of the -308 TNF-alpha A allele (40.6%) than controls (23.2%) or CHD patients without type 2 DM (28.5%) (P=0.0056). The odds ratio for CHD in type 2 diabetic patients in presence of -308 TNF-alpha A allele was 2.86 (CI 95%: 1.55-5.32). This difference was observed mainly in diabetic women for the A allele carriers (OR: 4.29; CI 95%: 1.6-11.76). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that -308 TNF-alpha gene polymorphism may contribute to CHD risk in patients with type 2 diabetes and it could constitute an useful predictive marker for CHD in type 2 diabetic women.

Age Distribution↗
PubMed2003

G protein beta3 gene variant, vascular function, and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetes.

A common polymorphism (825 C/T) in exon 10 of the GNB3 gene, that encodes for the beta-3 subunit, has been associated with different degrees of activation of heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins). Many hormones and neurotransmitters use specific receptors that interact noncovalently with G proteins in the transmembrane signaling process. Among them, insulin uses an inhibitory G protein-sensitive mechanism that is involved in metabolic and vascular events, leading to enhanced glucose transport and vasodilation. We hypothesized differences in peripheral and vascular insulin sensitivity according to GNB3 gene polymorphism in type 2 diabetic patients. To address this issue, we used an intervention-optimization protocol to examine whether diabetic patients with the variant show a different response in terms of insulin-sensitivity. Interindividual differences in baseline insulin sensitivity and vascular dysfunction (vasodilatory response to glyceryl trinitrate) were not attributable to this polymorphism of the GNB3 gene. However, in contrast to normal homozygotes, insulin sensitivity (S(I)) significantly improved (P=0.01) in carriers of the 825T variant. Parallel to these findings, stimulated C-peptide tended to decrease, and the response to glyceryl trinitrate significantly improved (P=0.004) among 825T carriers. Body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, or serum lipid levels did not significantly change in either group. Our findings suggest an effect of GNB3 gene polymorphism on important phenotypic variations in type 2 diabetes mellitus. The GNB3 gene polymorphism might be an example of pharmacogenetics, with the underlying etiological genetic defect altering the response to treatment.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Insulin resistance and chronic cardiovascular inflammatory syndrome.

Insulin resistance is increasingly recognized as a chronic, low-level, inflammatory state. Hyperinsulinemia and insulin action were initially proposed as the common preceding factors of hypertension, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, hypertriglyceridemia, abdominal obesity, and altered glucose tolerance, linking all these abnormalities to the development of coronary heart disease. The similarities of insulin resistance with another inflammatory state, atherosclerosis, have been described only in the last few decades. Atherosclerosis and insulin resistance share similar pathophysiological mechanisms, mainly due to the actions of the two major proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-alpha and IL-6. Genetic predisposition to increased transcription rates of these cytokines is associated with metabolic derangement and simultaneously with coronary heart disease. Dysregulation of the inflammatory axis predicts the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus. The knowledge of how interactions between metabolic and inflammatory pathways occur will be useful in future therapeutic strategies. The effective administration of antiinflammatory agents in the treatment of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis is only the beginning of a promising approach in the management of these syndromes.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

CD14 monocyte receptor, involved in the inflammatory cascade, and insulin sensitivity.

Soluble CD14 (sCD14), detectable at high concentrations constitutively present in the circulation, plays a key role in the neutralization of lipopolysaccharide, one of the most potent biologic response modifiers currently recognized and involved in the regulation of the inflammatory cascade. We tested whether circulating sCD14 was linked to inflammatory parameters and to insulin resistance in apparently healthy subjects. Serum sCD14 concentration did not significantly correlate with body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio, systolic or diastolic blood pressure, serum glucose, fasting insulin, fasting insulin resistance index [homeostasis model assessment (HOMA)], or serum uric acid among 123 subjects. The association between sCD14 and fasting insulin (r = -0.19, P = 0.08) and between sCD14 and HOMA (r = -0.21, P = 0.06) tended toward statistical significance among men. Unexpectedly, sCD14 correlated positively with fasting triglycerides (TG) in all the subjects (r = 0.22, P = 0.014), and this association was most significant in men (r = 0.34, P = 0.002). After controlling for TG, the relationships between sCD14 levels and fasting insulin (r = -0.25, P = 0.029), HOMA (r = -0.28, P = 0.014), and uric acid (r = -0.30, P = 0.006) were significant in men. Among nonsmoking men (n = 44), sCD14 significantly correlated with waist diameter (r = -0.30, P = 0.03), diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.34, P = 0.022), and HOMA (r = -0.30, P = 0.03). In a multiple linear regression analysis, BMI (P < 0.00001), TG (P = 0.003), and sCD14 (P = 0.04) (but not age, sex, waist, or smoking status) independently contributed to 26% of HOMA variance. A polymorphism of the CD14 gene, a C-to-T transition at bp -159 from the major transcription start site, seems to play a significant role in regulating serum sCD14 levels. In a subsample of 33 healthy subjects, carriers of the T allele were similar (in age, sex, BMI, fat mass, waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, and fasting glucose and insulin levels) to C/C homozygotes. In the former, integrated area under the curve for serum glucose concentrations after an oral glucose tolerance test was significantly lower (P = 0.02), and insulin sensitivity (SI) index (minimal model analysis) significantly higher (P = 0.036), than in C/C homozygotes. Among 32 type 2 diabetic subjects, carriers of the T allele also showed a significantly higher SI index (P = 0.03) and had significantly lower C-reactive protein (P = 0.03) and lower circulating soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 concentrations (P = 0.01) than did C/C homozygotes. To our knowledge, this is the first study to suggest an effect of a genetic polymorphism on both SI (healthy subjects and type 2 diabetic patients) and endothelial dysfunction (sICAM-1 levels) in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Novel interactions of adiponectin with the endocrine system and inflammatory parameters.

Several markers of chronic immune activation have been found in association with obesity and insulin resistance. We aimed to study the interaction of adiponectin with chronic inflammation and known components of the insulin resistance syndrome. Insulin sensitivity (minimal model analysis) and plasma soluble fractions of TNF-alpha receptor 1 (sTNFR1) and 2 (sTNFR2), adrenal and thyroid function, and adiponectin were evaluated in 68 apparently healthy subjects. An additional group of type 2 diabetic patients (n = 19) similarly studied, except for insulin sensitivity, were also included in the analysis. As reported by others, serum adiponectin concentrations were higher in women than in men (13.55 +/- 9.79 vs. 8.64 +/- 7.83 mg/liter; P = 0.018). They were also higher in healthy subjects compared with diabetic patients (10.35 +/- 8.48 vs. 7.41 +/- 8.31 mg/liter; P = 0.021). As expected also, circulating adiponectin was significantly associated with waist to hip ratio (r = -0.28; P = 0.013), diastolic blood pressure (r = -0.25; P = 0.027), fasting plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = 0.35; P = 0.001), triglycerides (r = -0.37; P = 0.001), and insulin sensitivity (r = 0.30; P = 0.011). Additionally, subjects in the higher quartile of circulating adiponectin had lower sTNFR2 concentrations (3.05 vs. 4.37 microg/liter; P = 0.012), a trend to lower sTNFR1 concentrations (1.76 vs. 2.20 microg/liter; P = 0.055), higher concentration of serum morning cortisol (16.86 vs. 13.52 microg/dl; P = 0.027), and higher serum free T(4) levels (1.31 vs. 1.20 ng/dl; P = 0.038). Multiple regression analysis models were constructed to predict adiponectin concentrations. Predictive variables in these models included insulin sensitivity, waist to hip ratio and free T(4), contributing to 17%, 10%, and 8% of adiponectin variance, respectively, These findings suggest that circulating adiponectin differentially modulates insulin action and that thyroid-axis, inflammatory cytokines, and the adrenal cortex might intervene in this modulation.

Adiponectin↗
PubMed2003

Insulin resistance, inflammation, and serum fatty acid composition.

OBJECTIVE: Fatty acids (FAs) have been involved in the development of chronic inflammatory conditions such as insulin resistance and obesity. However, the relation among insulin resistance, obesity, inflammatory activity (circulating interleukin [IL]-6) and dietary FAs has been scarcely studied in otherwise healthy subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We aimed to study these interactions in 123 overweight (BMI 26.9 +/- 2.4 kg/m(2) [means +/- SD]) subjects and 109 lean (BMI 21.7 +/- 1.7 kg/m(2), P < 0.000001) subjects. IL-6 was measured by immunoassay and FA by gas liquid cromatography. RESULTS: The percentage of saturated FAs (r = 0.30, P = 0.01) and omega-6 FAs (r = -0.32, P = 0.001) were significantly associated with circulating IL-6, whereas the percentage of omega-3 FAs correlated negatively with C-reactive protein in overweight subjects (P = 0.04). Saturated-to-omega-3 and saturated-to-omega-6 FA ratios were significantly and positively associated with C-reactive protein (P < 0.0001) and IL-6 (P < 0.001), respectively. In contrast, none of these associations reached statistical significance in lean subjects. Those subjects in the most insulin-sensitive quintile (homeostasis model assessment value) showed a significantly higher percentage of linoleic acid (C18:2 varpi6) (P = 0.03) and a significantly lower level of araquidic (C20:0) (P = 0.04), behenic (C22:0) (P = 0.009), lignoceric (C24:0) (P = 0.02), and nervonic (C24:1 varpi9) (P = 0.001) FAs than the remaining subjects. In parallel, the most insulin-sensitive subjects showed significantly decreased C-reactive protein (P = 0.03). Serum C-reactive protein was significantly associated with percent linoleic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in nonsmoking men (P = 0.03 and P = 0.04, respectively) and with docosahexaenoic acid in nonsmoking women (r = -0.46, P < 0.0001). We constructed a multivariant regression analysis to predict circulating IL-6. Age, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), smoking status, and the relation of saturated to omega-6 or saturated to omega-3 FAs were considered as independent variables separately in men and women. In overweight men, the ratio of saturated to omega-3 FAs (P = 0.01), but not age, sex, BMI, WHR, or smoking status, independently contributed to 17% of IL-6 variance. In lean men, smoking status (P = 0.02), but not the remaining variables, contributed to 8% of IL-6 variance. CONCLUSIONS: Dietary FAs (as inferred from plasma FA concentration) seem to be linked to inflammatory activity in overweight subjects and in subjects with insulin resistance. Being overweight modulates the relation of FAs to inflammatory markers.

Adult↗