The relationship of endothelial cell-specific molecule-1, leptin, and omentin-1 with cardiovascular risk in patients with type 2 diabetes

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) are at increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). The aim of this study was to explore the mutual connections of adipokines (i.e., leptin and omentin-1), endothelial dysfunction (i.e., endothelial cell-specific molecule-1, ESM-1), and inflammation (i.e., hsCRP) markers, in addition to conventional cardiometabolic parameters, in individuals with T2D. We also aimed to investigate the link between these biomarkers and cardiovascular risk in T2D patients. A total of 56 patients with T2D (ages between 40 and 75 years) and 57 sex- and age-matched controls were consecutively included in this cross-sectional study. Cardiovascular risk was estimated by the ASCVD risk score algorithm and by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT). A higher ESM-1 ( P = 0.011) and ASCVD risk score ( P < 0.001) were found in T2D patients compared with controls. The relationship between ESM-1 and ASCVD risk score and cIMT was non-linear; higher ESM-1 levels were found in the high ASCVD risk score and in the highest cIMT tertile group, but lower in the moderate-risk groups than in the low-risk groups (P for the trend 0.010 and 0.006, respectively). Leptin and omentin-1 were not directly associated with cardiovascular risk but were clustered in factorial analysis in individuals with and without T2D. Patients with T2D exhibited an increased cardiovascular risk. The relationship between ESM-1 and the ASCVD risk score, or cIMT, was non-linear. ESM-1, leptin, and omentin-1 were constituents of a multimarker panel in factorial analysis in individuals with and without T2D.