Objective: Previous studies have shown that lower serum amylase levels are associated with chronic pancreatitis. However, recently, lower serum amylase levels have been associated with metabolic syndrome (MS) and diabetes. The objective of the present study was to investigate the relationship between metabolic syndrome and diabetes and serum amylase levels in Chinese asymptomatic individuals living in Hangzhou, China.
Methods: Serum amylase, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), γ-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT), high sensitivity C reactive protein (hsCRP) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels were measured in 3,728 patients from Hangzhou in China. Study participants were divided into four groups, Q1-Q4, according to serum amylase levels. Odds ratios (OR) of Q1-Q4 were calculated using multivariate logistic regression.
Results: Significant differences were found in sex, age, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, γ-GT, TG, HDL-C and FPG levels, as well as the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes among these four groups. Across Q1 to Q4, the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes decreased from 28.5-15.2% and 10.1-3.6%, respectively. Multiple logistic regression models following adjustment for age, gender, BMI, and γ-GT showed that the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (OR: 1.284; 95% CI: 0.909-1.813) and diabetes (OR: 2.081; 95% CI: 1.230-3.523) in the Q1 was significantly higher compared to the Q4.
Conclusions: Low serum amylase levels are significantly associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome and diabetes in a Chinese asymptomatic population.