†These authors contributed equally.
Academic Editors: Brian Tomlinson and Takatoshi Kasai
Background: Retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), a biomarker for insulin
resistance in type 2 diabetes (DM), is increased in heart failure. This
case-control study aims to determine the association between serum RBP4 levels
and diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM). Methods: Demographic and clinical
data were obtained from 245 DM patients and 102 non-diabetic controls. RBP4
levels were measured using ELISA. The association between RBP4 and DCM was
evaluated using multivariate logistic regression and restricted cubic splines
(RCS) in DM patients. Results: We showed that serum RBP4 levels were
higher in DCM patients than in DM patients without DCM or the controls.
Multivariate analysis adjusted by age, gender, body mass index, diabetes
duration, left ventricular ejection fraction, insulin treatment, triglycerides,
low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, estimated glomerular filtration rate,
diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy and log
N-terminal proBNP showed a significant association between RBP4 and DCM (highest
vs. lowest tertile OR 16.87, 95% CI: 6.58, 43.23, p