Epicardial fat, body mass index, and triglyceride are independent contributors of serum fibroblast growth factor 21 level in obese premenopausal women

Abstract

EFT, BMI, and TG may play an important role in predicting serum FGF-21 level which may be a potential therapeutic target in cardiometabolic disorders in the future.

The relationship of circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 levels with pericardial fat: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis

“…The present study supports a significant cross-sectional association between FGF21 levels and pericardial fat volume. In a recent case-control study of 86 post-menopausal women, serum FGF21 levels were positively and significantly correlated with epicardial fat thickness in the obese women 9 . In that study, among different clinical and biochemical parameters including BMI, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, CRP and HOMA-IR, epicardial fat showed the strongest association with serum FGF21 levels 9 .…”

“…In model 1, data were adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, smoking, pack-years of smoking, current alcohol use and physical activity. In model 2, data were further adjusted for established CVD risk, including BMI, diabetes, hypertension, HOMA-IR, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, eGFR, and use of lipid-lowering medication, which have been found to correlate with FGF21 levels in previous studies 5,9,10,13,14 . As FGF21 has anti-inflammatory effects 8 and pericardial fat can secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines 1 , data were further adjusted for circulating inflammatory biomarkers, including CRP and IL-6 in model 3, in order to assess whether these inflammatory biomarkers can mediate the association.…”

“…Small clinical studies have suggested a positive association of circulating FGF21 levels with epicardial or pericardial fat volume in post-menopausal women and people at high CVD risk 9,10 . However, it is not known whether such an association is relevant to men and healthy people, and whether there are any sex or racial/ethnic differences in the association of plasma FGF21 levels with pericardial fat volume.…”

Adipokines and Inflammation: Focus on Cardiovascular Diseases

“…Fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF-21) is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family expressed in multiple organs, such as metabolic organs like the WAT (including EAT and PVAT), liver and pancreas [ 316 , 317 , 318 , 319 ]. It is a secreted protein that acts mainly as an important endocrine metabolism regulator by inducing weight loss and controlling insulin signalling and glucose and lipid metabolism [ 316 ].…”

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: Severity of fibrosis and its relationships with clinical and biological variables

“…In fact, some of our previous work shows that various circulating molecules (i.e., adiponectin, TGF b1, e-selectin, and endothelin) play a significant role in left ventricular remodeling [2,3], progression of renal function impairment [4,5], and in the manifestation of left ventricular dysfunction [6][7][8] in central obese subjects. A recent study by Akyildiz et al [9] found that higher serum levels of the hormone FGF 21 were associated with larger epicardial fat thickness in obese women. All the above-mentioned molecules are related to both inflammation and fibrosis at various levels.…”