Independent Predictors of Circulating Trimethylamine N-Oxide (TMAO) and Resistin Levels in Subjects with Obesity: Associations with Carotid Intima-Media Thickness and Metabolic Parameters

• Published in: Nutrients Vol. 17; no. 5; p. 798
• Main Authors: Pescari, Denisa, Mihuta, Monica Simina, Bena, Andreea, Stoian, Dana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 01.03.2025; MDPI
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - etiology; Biomarkers - blood; Body weight; Cardiometabolic Risk Factors; Cardiovascular disease; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Female; Humans; Insulin Resistance; Low density lipoproteins; Male; Methylamines - blood; Middle Aged; Mortality; Obesity; Obesity - blood; Obesity - complications; Physiological aspects; Resistin - blood; Type 2 diabetes; Young Adult; TMAO; resistin; cardiovascular risk; carotid intima-media thickness; obesity
• ISSN: 2072-6643; 2072-6643
• DOI: 10.3390/nu17050798

Background: Obesity contributes to cardiometabolic risk, including subclinical atherosclerosis and insulin resistance. This study examines the predictive roles of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and resistin in relation to carotid intima-media thickness and metabolic parameters; Methods: Sixty adults (18–71 years) with varying body weights were assessed for body composition, subclinical atherosclerosis, and blood biomarkers, including TMAO and resistin; Results: TMAO correlated strongly with CIMT (r = 0.674, p < 0.001), indicating its role in subclinical atherosclerosis. Logistic regression identified TMAO (threshold 380; AUC = 0.880, accuracy = 91.7%) as a predictor of cardiometabolic risk. Resistin was associated with CIMT, WHR, and total cholesterol, inversely linked to LDL cholesterol (p = 0.003). Less active participants exhibited higher TMAO (p = 0.001) and resistin (p = 0.02). Family histories of obesity and diabetes correlated with elevated TMAO, while resistin linked to shorter sleep duration and diabetes history, highlighting their importance in obesity-related cardiometabolic risks; Conclusions: TMAO is strongly linked to abdominal fat, insulin resistance, and subclinical atherosclerosis, while resistin is associated with lipid metabolism and aging. Their combined assessment enhances the prediction of obesity-related cardiometabolic risk, supporting their role in risk stratification and targeted interventions.