What question did this study set out to answer?

To assess the relationship between serum A-FABP levels and endothelial function in patients with nondialysis CKD.

January 14, 2026Tzu Chi Medical Journal0 citationsOpen Access

Serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein is associated with impaired endothelial function in nondialysis chronic kidney disease

TLTeoh Ling LunTzu Chi Foundation YLYu-Chun LinUniversity of Science and Technology CWChih-Hsien WangTzu Chi University

Key Points

To assess the relationship between serum A-FABP levels and endothelial function in patients with nondialysis CKD.
Analyzed fasting serum from 151 adults with CKD not on dialysis for A-FABP using enzyme immunoassay.
Measured endothelial function noninvasively through digital thermal monitoring to obtain vascular reactivity index scores.
Categorized vascular reactivity as poor, intermediate, or good based on VRI scores.
17.9% had poor vascular reactivity, 30.5% intermediate, and 51.6% good.
Poor reactivity was associated with older age, higher blood urea nitrogen, creatinine levels, and serum A-FABP.
Higher serum A-FABP levels significantly correlated with reduced VRI in multivariable models.

Abstract

A BSTRACT Objectives: Adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) has been implicated in atherosclerosis, and endothelial dysfunction is a critical contributor to cardiovascular outcomes in chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study evaluated links between serum A-FABP and endothelial function among patients with CKD who were not on dialysis. Materials and Methods: Fasting serum from 151 adults with CKD not on dialysis was analyzed for A-FABP using enzyme immunoassay. Endothelial function was measured noninvasively through digital thermal monitoring (DTM), yielding vascular reactivity index (VRI) scores categorized as poor (<1.0), intermediate (1.0–1.99), or good (≥2.0) vascular reactivity. Results: Vascular reactivity categorized by DTM-derived VRI was poor in 17.9% ( n = 27), intermediate in 30.5% (n = 46), and good in 51.6% ( n = 78). Poor reactivity correlated with older age (P = 0.013), higher blood urea nitrogen ( P = 0.007), creatinine ( P = 0.009), urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio, P = 0.010, higher serum A-FABP ( P < 0.001), and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, P = 0.007. In adjusted multivariable linear models, age ( P = 0.044), log-transformed (log-glucose, P = 0.045), and serum A-FABP ( P < 0.001) were negatively associated with VRI. Conclusion: Higher serum A-FABP independently correlated with reduced VRI, consistent with a potential modulatory role and supporting its use as a biomarker of endothelial dysfunction in nondialysis CKD patients.

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