Association of serum fibroblast growth factor 19 levels with arteriosclerosis parameters assessed by arterial stiffness and  atherogenic index of plasma in patients  with type 2 diabetes

Background The role of serum fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) in the arteriosclerosis is not well known. In the present study, we aimed to explore whether serum FGF19 levels were related to the arteriosclerosis parameters, including arterial stiffness and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods 200 patients with type 2 diabetes and 50 healthy controls were recruited for this study from Apr 2017 to Oct 2018. Serum FGF19 levels, arterial stiffness assessed by brachial ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), and AIP assessed by ratio of triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-c) were measured in those subjects. In addition, other relevant clinical data were also collected. Results Serum FGF19 levels in T2D patients were significantly lower than that in healthy controls ( p < 0.01). The arteriosclerosis parameters, including baPWV and AIP, significantly decreased across ascending tertiles of serum FGF19 levels (all p for trend < 0.001). Moreover, the baPWV and AIP were all inversely correlated with serum FGF19 levels ( r = –0.351 and –0.303, respectively, p < 0.001). Furthermore, after adjusting for other clinical covariates by multiple linear regression analyses, the serum FGF19 levels were independently associated with baPWV ( β = –0.20, t = –2.23, p = 0.029) and AIP ( β = –0.28, t = –2.66, p = 0.010) in patients with T2D. Conclusions The serum FGF19 levels were independently and inversely associated with baPWV and AIP in patients with T2D, which indicate serum FGF19 may plays a protect role against pathogenesis of the atherosclerosis in those patients.