Serum Retinol-Binding Protein Levels Are Associated with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Chinese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Real-World Study

• Published in: Diabetes & metabolism journal Vol. 46; no. 1; pp. 129 - 139
• Main Authors: Zhang, Zhi-Hui, Ke, Jiang-Feng, Lu, Jun-Xi, Liu, Yun, Wang, Ai-Ping, Li, Lian-Xi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Korean Diabetes Association / Daehan Dangnyobyeong Hakoe 01.01.2022; Korean Diabetes Association; 대한당뇨병학회
• Subjects: Abdomen; Blood pressure; Body mass index; China - epidemiology; Cholesterol; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; diabetes mellitus, type 2; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Fatty liver; Hepatitis; High density lipoprotein; Humans; Insulin resistance; Lipoproteins; Liver diseases; Metabolism; non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - complications; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - epidemiology; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease - metabolism; Obesity; Original; Peptides; Population; Proteins; retinol-binding protein; Retinol-Binding Proteins; Statistical analysis; Ultrasonic imaging; Variance analysis; 내과학; China; Diabetes mellitus, type 2; Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; Retinol-binding protein
• ISSN: 2233-6079; 2233-6087; 2233-6087
• DOI: 10.4093/dmj.2020.0222

Background: The association of serum retinol-binding protein (RBP) levels with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) remains controversial. Furthermore, few studies have investigated their relationship in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to explore the association between serum RBP levels and NAFLD in Chinese inpatients with T2DM.Methods: This cross-sectional, real-world study included 2,263 Chinese T2DM inpatients. NAFLD was diagnosed by abdominal ultrasonography. The subjects were divided into four groups based on RBP quartiles, and clinical characteristics were compared among the four groups. The associations of both RBP levels and quartiles with the presence of NAFLD were also analyzed.Results: After adjustment for sex, age, and diabetes duration, there was a significant increase in the prevalence of NAFLD from the lowest to the highest RBP quartiles (30.4%, 40.0%, 42.4%, and 44.7% for the first, second, third, and fourth quartiles, respectively, P<0.001 for trend). Fully adjusted multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that both increased RBP levels (odds ratio, 1.155; 95% confidence interval, 1.012 to 1.318; P=0.033) and quartiles (P=0.014 for trend) were independently associated with the presence of NAFLD in T2DM patients.Conclusion: Increased serum RBP levels were independently associated with the presence of NAFLD in Chinese T2DM inpatients. Serum RBP levels may be used as one of the indicators to assess the risk of NAFLD in T2DM patients.