Skin Carotenoid Score as an Important Prognostic Factor for Predicting Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Middle-Aged Subjects

• Published in: Current topics in nutraceuticals research Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 373 - 379
• Main Authors: Wu, Hans Hsientsai, Chen, Jian-Jung, Chen, Yi-Chuan, Haryadi, Bagus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New Century Health Publishers, LLC 01.11.2023
• Subjects: Blood sugar; Carotenoids; Development and progression; Endothelium; Fruit; Glycosylated hemoglobin; Heart beat; Low density lipoproteins; Skin; Type 2 diabetes; Taiwan
• ISSN: 1540-7535; 2641-452X
• DOI: 10.37290/ctnr2641-452X.21:373-379

This study aimed at identifying middle-aged subjects at risk for developing type 2 diabetes mellitus using noninvasive skin carotenoid and vascular function measurements. To this end, 61 subjects (40-65 years of age) without type 2 diabetes mellitus (Group A, Hemoglobin A1c < 6.5%) and 69 subjects (40-65 years of age) with type 2 diabetes mellitus (Group B, Hemoglobin A1c [greater than or equal to] 6.5%) were recruited (Table 1). The skin carotenoid score was recorded using spectroscopy-based skin carotenoid measurements that approximate dietary fruit and vegetable intake. Endothelial function and heart rate variability were measured for the two groups and correlated with skin carotenoids scores. The daily vegetable and fruit intake was positively correlated with the skin carotenoids score in both groups (Group A, r = 0.598, p < 0.001; Group B, r = 0.449, p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in skin carotenoids score, indices of endothelial function, and heart rate variability between the subjects in group A and group B. There was a negative correlation between skin carotenoids score and individual determinants of metabolic syndrome, including high-density lipoprotein (r = -0.361, p = 0.009), waist circumference (r = -0.450, p < 0.001), fasting blood sugar (r = -0.713, p < 0.001), and Hemoglobin A1c (r = -0.808, p < 0.001); however, systolic blood pressure showed no significant correlation (p = 0.06). In conclusion, carotenoids and cardiovascular parameters are reliable predictive factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus in middle-aged subjects. Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, Heart rate variability, Skin carotenoids, Type 2 diabetes mellitus, Vascular endothelial function, Wrist pressure pulse Abbreviations Used: Air pressure sensing system, APSS; Body mass index, BMI; Cardiovascular disease, CVD; Daily intake of vegetables and fruit, DIVF; Diastolic blood pressure, DBP; Dilation index, DI; Endothelial dysfunction, ED; Fasting plasma glucose, FPG; HbA1c, Hemoglobin A1c; Heart rate variability, HRV; Heart rate, HR; High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, HDL-C; High-density lipoprotein, HDL; Low frequency power/high frequency power ratio, LHR; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL-C; Percussion entropy index, PEI; Peak-to-peak interval, PPI; Reactive hyperemia, RH; Skin carotenoids score, SCS; Standard deviation, SD; Systolic blood pressure, SBP; Total serum cholesterol, TC; Type 2 diabetes mellitus, T2DM; Waist circumference, WC; Waveform amplitude series, WAS; Wrist pressure pulse, WPP Corresponding Author: Dr. Jian-Jung Chen, Department of Chinese Medicine, Taichung Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Taichung 42743, Taiwan; Email: cjjwei1206@gmail.com