Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases
Volume 18, Issue 5 , Pages 354-359, September 2009

Elevated Visfatin/Pre-B-cell Colony-enhancing Factor Plasma Concentration in Ischemic Stroke

  • Li-Fen Lu, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiac Surgery, Department of Surgery, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Sheng-Shan Yang, MD

      Affiliations

    • Lee's Endocrinologic Clinic, Pingtung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Chao-Ping Wang, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Institute of Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Wei-Chin Hung, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Teng-Hung Yu, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Cheng-An Chiu, MD

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Fu-Mei Chung, MS

      Affiliations

    • Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, E-Da Hospital, I-Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Shyi-Jang Shin, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Yau-Jiunn Lee, MD, PhD

      Affiliations

    • Lee's Endocrinologic Clinic, Pingtung, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Yau-Jiunn Lee, MD, PhD, Lee's Endocrinologic Clinic, No. 130 Min-Tzu Rd, Pingtung 90000, Taiwan.

Received 16 October 2008; received in revised form 30 December 2008; accepted 6 January 2009.

Background

Visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor is a cytokine that is expressed as a protein in several tissues (e.g., liver, skeletal muscle, immune cells), including adipose tissue, and is reported to stimulate inflammatory cytokine expressions and promote vascular smooth cell maturation. Visfatin may act as a proinflammatory cytokine and be involved in the process of atherosclerosis. In this study, we investigated whether plasma visfatin levels were altered in patients with ischemic stroke.

Methods

Plasma visfatin concentrations were measured through enzyme immunoassays in patients with ischemic stroke and in control subjects without stroke.

Results

The mean plasma concentration of visfatin in the 120 patients with ischemic stroke was significantly higher than that of the 120 control subjects without stroke (51.5 ± 48.4 v 23.0 ± 23.9 ng/mL, P < .001). Multiple logistic regression analysis confirmed plasma visfatin to be an independent factor associated with ischemic stroke. Increasing concentrations of visfatin were independently and significantly associated with a higher risk of ischemic stroke when concentrations were analyzed as both a quartile and a continuous variable. The multiple logistic regression analysis-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for ischemic stroke in the second, third, and fourth quartiles were 2.3 (0.7–7.7), 6.9 (2.2–23.3), and 20.1 (4.9-97.7), respectively. Plasma visfatin concentration was positively associated with high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels and negatively associated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that higher visfatin levels are associated with ischemic stroke in the Chinese population.

Key Words: Visfatin/pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor, cytokines, ischemic stroke, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein

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 Supported by the National Science Council and the E-Da Hospital of the Republic of China, Taiwan, under Contract No. NSC 95-2314-B-475-001 and EDAH-97I001.

PII: S1052-3057(09)00018-4

doi:10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2009.01.003

Journal of Stroke & Cerebrovascular Diseases
Volume 18, Issue 5 , Pages 354-359, September 2009

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