The relationship between serum asprosin levels and insulin resistance, pulse wave velocity and other cardiovascular risk factors in renal transplant patients with normal kidney functions

Aim: We aim to determine the serum levels of asprosin, an adipokine discovered in 2016, in individuals with renal transplants and to examine the relationship of this parameter with insulin resistance, pulse wave velocity, and cardiovascular markers. Materials and Methods: 70 patients who underwent renal transplantation and 18 healthy control groups who were followed in the Nephrology Organ Transplantation polyclinics of Necmettin Erbakan University Medical Faculty Hospital were included in the study. Biochemical and anthropometric measurements were made on these individuals. Serum asprosin levels were determined using the ELISA method with the Human Asprosin Elisa Kit. Pulse wave velocity and central blood pressure were measured with the MobilGraph New Generation S/N C299843 device, which we routinely use in our Nephrology Outpatient Clinic. The 18/6 linear probe and thyroid setting on the Siemens S3000 ultrasound device evaluated carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and plaque in patients and healthy controls. Plaque evaluation was performed with B-mode ultrasound. The data obtained in the study were analyzed in a computer environment using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) 18.0 package program. Results: Our study found that the serum asprosin level in renal transplant individuals was significantly higher than in the healthy control group (p = 0.036). A significant positive correlation was detected between asprosin level and BMI, insulin level, HOMA-IR level, and HDL (r and p values, respectively; r=-0.445; p<0.001; r=0.323; p=0.006; r=0352; p =0.003; r=0.248; p=0.039). We found that serum asprosin levels are a predictor of insulin resistance. We could not detect any relationship between asprosin levels and pulse wave velocity. Conclusion: Serum asprosin levels were found to be high in renal transplant patients and are a predictor of insulin resistance. We could not detect a relationship with pulse wave velocity, but studies involving a larger population are needed due to the small number of patients.