Both diabetes and fetuin-A are independently associated with increased risk of arterial stiffness

Background: Arterial stiffness is a functional assessment of vascular damage caused by cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. Fetuin-A is associated with subclinical CVD and incident or fatal CVD, with some modification of its effect occurring with the presence of diabetes. We investigated the impact of different glycemic statuses and serum fetuin-A levels on arterial stiffness. Methods: A total of 312 age- and sex-matched subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), impaired fasting glucose (IFG), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and newly diagnosed diabetes (NDD) were recruited. Serum fetuin-A levels were measured, and arterial stiffness was assessed by brachial-ankle pulse-wave velocity (baPWV). Results: We found that the mean values of baPWV were 1533 ± 338, 1518 ± 353, 1589 ± 307, and 1690 ± 414. cm/s, and fetuin-A levels were 298 ± 69, 313 ± 67, 330 ± 86, and 342 ± 93. μg/ml, in subjects with NGT, IFG, IGT, and NDD, respectively (both p < 0.001, test for trend). NDD subjects had significantly higher baPWV and fetuin-A levels than those with NGT. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that age, fetuin-A, diabetes, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia are independently associated factors of baPWV after adjusting for cardiometabolic risk factors, HOMA-IR, and adiponectin. Conclusion: Both diabetes and fetuin-A levels are independently associated with arterial stiffness. Fetuin-A may further aggravate increased arterial stiffness in diabetes.