Background: The serum level of fatty-acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) increases in patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), so the relationship between FABP4 and MetS among patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) was investigated in the present study.
Methods and results: Fasting blood samples were obtained from 98 CAD patients. MetS and its components were defined using the diagnostic criteria of the International Diabetes Federation; 50 CAD patients (51.0%) had MetS. The fasting level of FABP4 positively correlated with MetS (P=0.037) and serum levels of FABP4 correlated with a number of MetS criteria (P=0.035). Univariate linear regression analysis showed that body fat mass (R=0.234; P=0.020) and the levels of triglycerides (R=0.348; P<0.001), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (R=0.217; P=0.032) positively correlated with the serum level of FABP4, whereas the level of high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (R=-0.243; P=0.016) negatively correlated with it. Multivariate forward stepwise linear regression analysis of the significant variables showed that the level of triglycerides (beta=0.348, R(2)=0.121, P<0.001) was the independent predictor of fasting serum level of FABP4.
Conclusions: Among CAD patients in the present study, the fasting level of FABP4 positively correlated with MetS and serum levels of FABP4 correlated with a number of MetS criteria.