Positive correlation between serum IGF-1 and HDL-C in type 2 diabetes mellitus

•We evaluated the level of HDL-C influenced by the change of serum IGF-1 in Chinese type 2 diabetes mellitus.•We evaluated the relationship between IGF-1 and atherosclerosis in T2DM patients.•IGF-1 serum levels in T2DM patients is correlated positively with HDL-C.•Each increase of 2.71 ng/dl in IGF-I concentration was associated with an increase of 1.34 mg/dl in HDL level.

ObjectiveDyslipidemia and low levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) can increase the risk of atherosclerosis development in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This study aimed to investigate the correlation between serum HDL-C and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), which are crucially involved inT2DM.MethodsSerum concentrations of IGF-1, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and HDL-C were measured in 498 participants with T2DM without any lipid-modifying medicine prior to study. Participants were divided into three groups according to the 25th and 75th percentile of IGF-1 levels: low IGF-1 group (G1), middle IGF-1 group (G2), and high IGF-1 group (G3), respectively. Serum levels of HDL-C were compared among the three groups.ResultsG1 presented a higher body mass index and higher fasting plasma insulin (FINS) than G2 (P < 0.05), yet a lower HDL-C than G2 (P < 0.05). Moreover, HDL-C, postprandial blood glucose, FINS, postprandial plasma insulin (PINS), hip circumference ratio, glycated hemoglobin A1c were significantly lower in G3 than in G2 (P < 0.05). After adjusting for age and gender, serum levels of IGF-1 were negatively correlated with age, duration of disease, waist circumference, FINS, PINS, and insulin resistance, but positively correlated with HDL-C. Each increase of 2.71 ng/dl in IGF-I concentration was associated with an increase of 1.34 mg/dl in HDL level.ConclusionsIGF-1 serum level in people with T2DM is correlated positively with HDL-C.