Circulating RBP4 and FABP4 concentrations in patients with chronic schizophrenia are associated with increased epicardial adipose tissue volume and metabolic syndrome

Thung-Lip Lee; Chin-Feng Hsuan; Nan-Han Lu; I-Ting Tsai; Chia-Chang Hsu; Chao-Ping Wang; Yung-Chuan Lu; Tsung-Ming Hu; Fu-Mei Chung; Yau-Jiunn Lee; Wei-Hua Tang

doi:10.1007/s00406-024-01950-5

Circulating RBP4 and FABP4 concentrations in patients with chronic schizophrenia are associated with increased epicardial adipose tissue volume and metabolic syndrome

Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci. 2024 Nov 27. doi: 10.1007/s00406-024-01950-5. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Thung-Lip Lee^{1

2}, Chin-Feng Hsuan^{1

3

4}, Nan-Han Lu^{3

5}, I-Ting Tsai^{3

6}, Chia-Chang Hsu^{7

8

9}, Chao-Ping Wang^{1

2}, Yung-Chuan Lu¹⁰, Tsung-Ming Hu^{11

12}, Fu-Mei Chung¹, Yau-Jiunn Lee¹³, Wei-Hua Tang^{14

15}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
² School of Medicine for International Students, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
³ School of Medicine, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
⁴ Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Dachang Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 807066, Taiwan.
⁵ Department of Radiology, E-Da Cancer Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Emergency, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
⁷ Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
⁸ Health Examination Center, E-Da Dachang Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 807066, Taiwan.
⁹ The School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, College of Medicine, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
¹⁰ Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, 82445, Taiwan.
¹¹ Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Yuli Branch, Hualien, 98142, Taiwan.
¹² Department of Management, Fo Guang University, Jiaosi, Yilan, 262307, Taiwan.
¹³ Lee's Endocrinologic Clinic, Pingtung, 90000, Taiwan.
¹⁴ Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Yuli Branch, No. 91, Xinxing St., Yuli Township, Hualien, 981002, Taiwan. [email protected].
¹⁵ Faculty of Medicine, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 112304, Taiwan. [email protected].

PMID: 39604670
DOI: 10.1007/s00406-024-01950-5

Abstract

Schizophrenia has been linked to an elevated cardiovascular risk profile and premature onset of cardiovascular disease. Quantifying epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) volume provides insight into its correlation with coronary artery disease (CAD) severity and associated risk factors. Previous research indicates higher pericardial adipose tissue in individuals with schizophrenia compared to non-schizophrenic counterparts. RBP4, FABP3, and FABP4 have been implicated in CAD pathogenesis. In this study, we examined the potential increase in EAT volume in individuals with chronic schizophrenia and aimed to elucidate the relationship between circulating levels of RBP4, FABP3, and FABP4 with EAT volume and coronary artery calcium score within this cohort. We recruited 186 consecutive patients with chronic schizophrenia and utilized enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess plasma concentrations of RBP4, FABP3, and FABP4. Cardiac multislice computed tomography measured EAT volume and coronary artery calcium scores. Significantly higher EAT volume in patients with chronic schizophrenia compared to controls. RBP4 associated positively with metabolic factors and EAT volumes, while FABP3 associated positively with creatinine and coronary atherosclerosis markers. FABP4 showed positive associations with metabolic factors, hypertension, and EAT volumes, but negative associations with HDL-C and eGFR. Logistic regression identified RBP4 and FABP4 as independent factors associated with increased EAT volumes, even after adjusting for known biomarkers. Both RBP4 and FABP4 were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome components and EAT volume. This study elucidates the association between chronic schizophrenia and augmented EAT volume, suggesting plausible correlations with CAD-related health complications through RBP4 and FABP4 pathways.

Keywords: Chronic schizophrenia; Coronary artery calcium score; Coronary artery disease; Epicardial adipose tissue volume; Fatty acid-binding protein; Retinol-binding protein.

Abstract

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