Gesundheitswesen 2010; 72 - V181
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1266361

Association between Insulin-like growth factor-I and the incidence of metabolic syndrome: Results from the Study of Health in Pomerania

N Friedrich 1, M Nauck 1, H Völzke 1, G Brabant 2, H Wallaschofski 1
  • 1Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University Greifswald, Greifswald
  • 2Christie Hospital Manchester, Manchester

Background: Recently no longitudinal data are available regarding the association of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) and metabolic syndrome (MetS). Cross sectional studies showed an inverse association between IGF-I and the risk of impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus (DM). Only one prospective study among patients with myocardial infarction demonstrated a lower risk of DM among patients with high baseline IGF-I suggesting a protective effect of IGF-I against the development of MetS. The aim of the present study was to investigate the longitudinal association between IGF-I and MetS. Methods: Data from the population-based Study of Health in Pomerania were used for cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. MetS was defined by three or more of the following five components: abdominal obesity, elevated triglycerides, increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high blood pressure, and high non-fasting glucose. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassays. Logistic and Poisson regression analyses were performed. Results: Cross-sectional analyses revealed associations between high IGFBP-3 [men OR 1.81 (95% CI 1.25–2.61); women OR 1.71 (95% CI 1.14–2.57)] or low IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio [only in men OR 1.43 (95% CI 0.99–2.07)] and prevalent MetS. In contrast, in longitudinal analyses the direction of the relation changed. In men but not women, low levels of IGF-I [RR 0.66 (95% CI 0.43–0.99)] were linked to a decreased risk of incident MetS, while a high IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio [RR 1.34 (95% CI 0.96–1.87)] seems to be linked to an increased risk. Conclusion: IGF-I is a risk marker, rather than risk factor for MetS. In concordance with previous studies, our cross-sectional analyses showed that a low IGF-I/IGFBP-3 ratio was related to prevalent MetS. In longitudinal analyses, however, the association changed, and high IGF-I levels were associated with incident MetS.