Association between serum resistin and parameters of atherosclerosis in patients of maintenance hemodialysis

Objective To study the relationship between serum resistin and atherosclerosis in maintenance hemodialysis patients.Methods Serum resistin concentration was measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay in 60 maintenance hemodialysis patients,and 40 normal cases of people.Meanwhile,carotid intima media thickness(IMT) was measured by ultrasonography and flow-mediated dilatation(FMD) was assessed by high-resolution brachial ultrasonography in all subjects.Results Serum resistin was significantly higher in the patients group than the control group(t=-2.179,P=0.011).IMT was significantly higher in the patients group than the control group(t=-2.838,P=0.006).FMD was significantly lower in the patients group than the control group(t=3.012,P=0.003).Moreover,carotid IMT was found to be significantly related to resistin levels(r=0.278,P=0.017),but FMD was negatively correlated with resistin levels(r=-0.504,P=0.001) in maintenance hemodialysis patients.Conclusion Serum reistin was significantly higher in maintenance hemodialysis patients;serum resistin are associated with increasing carotid IMT and decreasing FMD in maintenance hemodialysis patients respectively,suggesting that resistin may play an important role in uremia-related atherosclerosis.