Exp Clin Endocrinol Diabetes 2008; 116 - P42
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1096369

Serum insulin-like growth factor I, insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 and mortality: results of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP)

N Friedrich 1, 2, R Haring 1, 2, M Nauck 3, J Lüdemann 3, D Rosskopf 4, E Spilcke-Liss 2, SB Felix 5, M Dörr 5, G Brabant 6, H Völzke 1, H Wallaschofski 2
  • 1Institute for Community Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Germany
  • 2Department of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Nutrition, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Germany
  • 3Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Germany
  • 4Institute of Pharmacology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Germany
  • 5Department of Cardiology, Ernst Moritz Arndt University Greifswald, Germany
  • 6Department of Endocrinology, Christie Hospital, Manchester, UK

Objective: Previous population-based studies provided conflicting results regarding the association of serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) or IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels and mortality. The aim of the present study was to assess the relation between IGF-I or IGFBP-3 levels and mortality due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer or all causes (excluding CVD and cancer) in a prospective population-based study. Methods: A total of 2,000 men and 2,080 women aged 20–79 years with available serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 values at baseline from the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were followed on average for 7.2 years. Causes of deaths were coded according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels were determined by chemiluminescence immunoassays and categorised into three groups according to the sex- and age-specific percentiles (low: <10%, normal: 10–90% and high: >90%). Kaplan-Meier analyses and Cox proportional hazards regression models were performed. Results: In men, low IGF-I or IGFBP-3 levels were related to a shorter survival time due to all-cause and cancer mortality as well as mortality caused by other reasons. In women, only low IGFPB-3 levels were associated with decreased all-cause and CVD survival as well as decreased survival from other causes, implicating gender differences in the association between IGF-I and IGFBP-3 and mortality. Adjusted Cox regression analyses partially confirmed these results and showed that low IGF-I or low IGFBP-3 levels were associated with higher all-cause mortality and a higher mortality caused by others reasons in men. In women, low IGFBP-3 levels were also related to a higher all-cause mortality and mortality caused by CVD or other reasons. Conclusions: The present study found inverse associations between IGF-I or IGFBP-3 levels and all-cause or CVD mortality or mortality caused from other causes.