Serum osteocalcin is inversely associated with lower extremity atherosclerotic disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Serum osteocalcin (OCN) is closely related to metabolic risk factors, and the relationship between OCN and atherosclerosis has been investigated. However, it is still controversial. Herein, we explored the potential correlation between serum total OCN and lower extremity atherosclerotic disease (LEAD) in 326 hospitalized Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Femoral intima-media thickness (F-IMT) and lower limb atherosclerotic plaque were assessed through color Doppler ultrasound. Subjects with LEAD had significantly lower serum OCN levels compared with those without LEAD (14.54 [14.10-14.89] ng/mL versus 16.79 [15.86-18.04] ng/mL, p < 0.001). Spearman's correlation analysis revealed that serum OCN levels were positively associated with high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and negatively associated with fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose (2hPG), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and F-IMT. Multiple logistic analysis revealed that OCN (OR 0.938, 95% confidence interval (CI 0.933-0.950, p = 0.003) and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (OR 0.990, 95% CI 0.985-0.996, p = 0.003) were independently and inversely associated with LEAD, while age (OR 1.140, 95% CI 1.127-1.148, p < 0.001), diabetes duration (OR 1.068, 95% CI 1.039-1.080, p < 0.005) and uric acid (UA) (OR 1.005, 95% CI 1.002-1.007, p = 0.032) were independently and positively associated with LEAD. Additionally, multiple linear regression analysis revealed that serum OCN levels were negatively associated with F-IMT (standardized β = -0.180, p = 0.002). In Chinese patients with T2DM, serum OCN levels were independently and inversely correlated with LEAD.