Background. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) acts as a potent metabolic regulator. Serum FGF21 levels were significantly higher in obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) populations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between serum FGF21 levels and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in T2DM patients. Methods. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 126 T2DM patients. MetS and its components were defined according to the diagnostic criteria from the International Diabetes Federation. Serum FGF21 concentrations were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. Among these patients, 84 (66.7%) had MetS. Female gender, hypertension, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), waist circumference (WC), body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), body fat mass, fasting glucose, glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), triglyceride level (TG), urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), insulin level, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and FGF21 levels were higher, whereas high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level (HDL-C) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were lower in DM patients with MetS. Univariate linear analysis revealed that hypertension, BMI, WC, body fat mass, SBP, DBP, logarithmically transformed TG (log-TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level, log-glucose, log-creatinine, log-UACR, log-insulin, and log-HOMA-IR positively correlated, whereas HDL-C and eGFR negatively correlated with serum FGF21 levels in T2DM patients. Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that body fat mass (adjusted R² change = 0.218; P=0.008) and log-TG (adjusted R² change = 0.036; P<0.001) positively correlated, whereas eGFR (adjusted R² change = 0.033; P=0.013) negatively correlated with serum FGF21 levels in T2DM patients. Conclusions. This study showed that higher serum FGF21 levels were positively associated with MetS in T2DM patients and significantly positively related to body fat mass and TG but negatively related to eGFR in these subjects.

Adiponectin has been implicated in metabolic syndrome (MetS) and arterial stiffness (AS). We aim to determine the relationship between serum adiponectin concentration as well as peripheral AS in hypertensive patients. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 101 hypertensive patients. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured with an automatic pulse wave analyzer. Serum adiponectin concentrations were determined by using an enzyme immunoassay kit. A baPWV >14.0 m/s was defined as high AS. MetS and high AS were present in 62.4 and 71.3% of the study population. Adiponectin was inversely associated with MetS and high AS (both P < 0.001). Serum higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P = 0.012), triglycerides (P = 0.001), C-reactive protein (P < 0.001), insulin (P = 0.027), body weight (P = 0.002), waist circumference (WC, P < 0.001), body mass index (P = 0.001) bilateral-baPWV (P < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (SBP, P < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (DBP, P = 0.012), pulse pressure (P = 0.019), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA1-IR (P = 0.026) and HOMA2-IR (P = 0.020)) and lower glomerular filtration rate (GFR, P = 0.029) were significantly associated with high AS. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the factors significantly associated with AS revealed that adiponectin [odds ratio: 0.932, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.881–0.985, P = 0.012], and SBP (odds ratio: 1.059, 95% CI 1.008–1.113, P = 0.022) were the independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients. Subgroup analysis revealed that SBP (odds ratio: 1.126, 95% CI 1.024–1.237, P = 0.014) and GFR (odds ratio: 0.858, 95% CI 0.739–0.996, P = 0.043) were the independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients without MetS; adiponectin (odds ratio: 0.909, 95% CI 0.931–0.996, P = 0.040) was the independent predictor of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients with MetS. Hypoadiponectinemia has positive association with MetS and peripheral AS in hypertensive patients.

Purpose: Hyperleptinemia has been independently associated with human cardiovascular (CV) diseases. Accordingly, we evaluate the association between serum leptin and future CV events in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). Patients and methods: This study enrolled 98 patients with CAD from January to December 2012. The primary endpoint included incidences of major adverse CV events and hospitalization. Patients follow-up had been completed on June 30, 2017. Results: After a median follow-up of 52 months, 43 CV events had occurred. Patients with CV events had higher systolic blood pressure (P = 0.030), total cholesterol (P = 0.034), C-reactive protein (P = 0.018), and serum leptin levels (P = 0.001) than those without CV events. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed greater cumulative incidences of CV events in the high leptin group (median leptin concentration >6.03 ng/mL) than in the low leptin group (log-rank P = 0.012). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that triglyceride (HR: 1.010; 95% CI: 1.001–1.018; P = 0.022) and leptin levels (HR: 1.054; 95% CI: 1.026–1.082; P < 0.001) were independently associated with CV events in patients with CAD. Conclusion: Serum leptin levels could serve as a biomarker for future CV events in patients with CAD.

Background: The relationship between constipation and childhood nocturnal enuresis (NE) has been previously reported; however, this relationship remains controversial. The present study aimed to evaluate the association between constipation and childhood NE.Methods: Data from the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2000 (LHID 2000) of Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from 2000 to 2013 were collected. A total of 2286 children were enrolled in this study: a case group of 1143 children aged 5–18 years who were diagnosed with NE (NE group) and an age- and sex-matched control group of 1143 children without NE. Conditional logistic regression and odds ratio (OR) for NE were used to examine the association between constipation and childhood NE.Results: The prevalence of NE in the case group (NE group, aged 5–18 years) was 1.03% from 2000 to 2013. The NE group had a higher percentage of constipation in 1 year before the diagnosis of NE. After stratification for sex, both boys and girls with constipation had higher OR for NE. With stratification for age, children aged 5–12 and 7–12 years had a higher OR for NE.Conclusions: Constipation is associated with childhood NE in Taiwan, particularly in children aged 5–7 and 7–12 years.

Adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) is a novel fat-derived circulating protein, which is independently and positively associated with atherosclerosis. The present study evaluated the relationship between fasting serum A-FABP and central arterial stiffness in geriatric adults. Fasting blood samples were obtained from 87 geriatric patients and the serum A-FABP levels were measured using an enzyme immunoassay. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) was determined using the SphygmoCor system. cfPWV values of >10 m/s represented the high arterial stiffness group, while values ≤10 m/s defined the low arterial stiffness group. High arterial stiffness group comprised of 42 geriatric adults (48.3 %). When compared to those in the low arterial stiffness group, the high arterial stiffness group had a higher rate of diabetes mellitus (P = 0.044) and hypertension (P = 0.043). Body weight (P = 0.027), waist circumference (P = 0.035), body mass index (P = 0.001), systolic blood pressure (P = 0.005), diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.045), pulse pressure (P = 0.038), and serum A-FABP level (P < 0.001) were also higher in the high arterial stiffness group than in the low arterial stiffness group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis of the factors significantly associated with arterial stiffness revealed that A-FABP (odds ratio: 1.833, 95 % confidence interval 1.123–2.993, P = 0.015) was an independent predictor of arterial stiffness in geriatric adults. Serum A-FABP levels constitute a major risk factor in the development of central arterial stiffness in the geriatric population.