Association between alcohol consumption and plasma fetuin-A and its contribution to incident type 2 diabetes in women.

Abstract

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS:

The benefits of moderate alcohol consumption for type 2 diabetes have been postulated to involve a mechanism of improved insulin sensitivity. Fetuin-A, which is known to inhibit insulin signalling, has emerged as a biomarker for diabetes risk. Alcohol consumption may influence circulating fetuin-A concentrations and subsequently diabetes risk by altering the insulin signal. We therefore hypothesised that moderate alcohol consumption would be associated with lower fetuin-A concentration and that fetuin-A would partly explain the association between alcohol consumption and incident type 2 diabetes.

METHODS:

Among diabetes-free female participants in the Nurses' Health Study (n = 1,331), multiple linear regression was conducted to assess the association between alcohol consumption and plasma fetuin-A. Least-squares means (lsmeans) of fetuin-A were estimated in categories of alcohol consumption (0, 0.1-4.9, 5-14.9 and ≥ 15 g/day). The proportion of alcohol consumption and diabetes association explained by baseline fetuin-A was assessed in 470 matched incident diabetes case-control pairs with follow-up 2000-2006.

RESULTS:

Higher alcohol consumption was associated with lower plasma fetuin-A (p for trend = 0.009): lsmean ± SE 476.5 ± 5.9 μg/ml for abstainers, 468.9 ± 5.2 μg/ml for 0.1-4.9 g/day consumers, 455.9 ± 7.0 μg/ml for 5.0-14.9 g/day consumers, and 450.0 ± 9.4 μg/ml for ≥ 15.0 g/day consumers. Fetuin-A and fasting insulin explained 18.4% and 54.8%, respectively, of the inverse association between alcohol consumption and diabetes after multiple adjustment (both p for contribution <0.04).

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION:

Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower plasma fetuin-A in diabetes-free women. Fetuin-A and insulin explain a significant proportion of the association between alcohol consumption and incident type 2 diabetes. Further studies are needed to examine potential biological mechanisms underlying this association.

• Authors: Sylvia H Ley, Qi Sun, Monik C Jimenez, Kathryn M Rexrode, Joann E Manson, Majken K Jensen, Eric B Rimm, Frank B Hu
• Journal: Diabetologia (Diabetologia) Vol. 57 Issue 1 Pg. 93-101 (Jan 2014) ISSN: 1432-0428 [Electronic] Germany
• PMID: 24105100 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Insulin
• alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein

Topics

• Adult
• Alcohol Drinking (metabolism)
• Case-Control Studies
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (blood)
• Female
• Humans
• Insulin (metabolism)
• Middle Aged
• alpha-2-HS-Glycoprotein (metabolism)