Association between serum ANGPLT8 levels and atherogenic index of plasma in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Aims Angiopoietin-like protein 8 (ANGPTL8), a secreted adipokine, has been reported to be associated with lipid and glucose metabolism. This study aimed to evaluate the association between circulating levels of ANGPTL8 and atherogenic risk, assessed by the atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), in diabetic individuals. Methods A total of 228 patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) were included in this cross-sectional study. The AIP was calculated as the logarithm of the ratio of triglycerides (TG) to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and divided into two subgroups of low and high risk of CVD, as <0.11 and ≥0.11, respectively. Data including clinical characteristics and laboratory tests were collected. Serum levels of ANGPTL8 were assessed by ELISA analysis. Results Serum concentrations of ANGPTL8 were significantly higher in the high AIP group compared with the low AIP group [293.84 (255.63–332.05) ng/mL vs. 223.05 (202.85–243.25) ng/mL; P < 0.001]. Serum ANGPTL8 levels were positively correlated with AIP values in patients with T2D as shown by Spearman correlation analysis (r = 0.133, P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding factors, elevated ANGPTL8 levels remained significantly associated with high AIP (OR, 0.010; 95% CI: 0.994–0.999; P < 0.010). The optimal cutoff value of ANGPTL8 for identifying high AIP was 227.18 ng/mL (sensitivity = 68.40%; specificity = 68.00%; P < 0.001; AUC = 0.780; 95% CI: 0.714–0.847). Conclusions: The serum ANGPTL8 levels are elevated in T2D patients with high AIP. Increased ANGPTL8 levels are closely associated with higher AIP values, indicating a predictive value of ANGPTL8 in atherosclerosis in patients with T2D.