Objectives: Fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF-19) is a metabolic regulating factor with an anti-diabetic effect. This study aimed to evaluate FGF-19 in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its relationship with some metabolic risk factors.
Methods: In this case-control study, 80 diabetic patients and 80 non-diabetic individuals were divided into two subgroups based on body mass index (BMI): obese people (BMI≥30) and participants with normal weight (25>BMI≥18.5). Furthermore, stratified analysis by gender was also performed. The metabolic factors were measured and compared in all groups. The relationship between FGF-19 and the measured items was investigated in each group.
Results: The FGF-19 levels did not show a significant difference between groups. The serum levels of FGF-19 were negatively associated with some metabolic items, such as BMI, low-density lipoprotein (LDL), total cholesterol (TC) (p<0.01), and LDL/high-density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio (p=0.02) only in the healthy group with normal weight. According to the gender-based classification of individuals, FGF-19 showed a significant inverse relationship with BMI, weight (WT), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) (p<0.05) in diabetic men; besides, FGF-19 in non-diabetic women had a significant negative association with TC, LDL, and LDL/HDL ratio (p<0.05).
Conclusions: The levels of FGF-19 were negatively correlated to WT, BMI, WC and HC in diabetic males. More studies are needed to warrant these results.
Keywords: FGF-19; metabolic factors; obesity; type 2 diabetes mellitus.
© 2021 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.