Aleksandra Klisic1 ,2, Jovana Moracanin1, Suzana Stijepovic1
1Primary Health Care Center, Podgorica, Montenegro
2University of Montenegro, Faculty of Medicine, Podgorica, Montenegro
Background and Aim: Studies in children and adolescents show discrepant results related to biomarkers of iron homeostasis in obesity and insulin resistance (IR). Hence, we aimed to evaluate the potential relationship between serum transferrin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and ferritin levels, and IR.
Methods: A total of 60 girls were recruited from the third and fourth classes of the two secondary schools in Podgorica. Biochemical parameters were measured. Waist circumference (WC), body height and weight were provided. Body mass index (BMI) and HOMA-IR (as surrogate marker of IR) were calculated.
Results: Adolescent girls with HOMA-IR ≥ 2.5 had higher BMI (p=0.001) and WC (p<0.001) than girls with HOMA-IR < 2.5. Moreover, they had significantly higher transferrin (p=0.008), sTfR (p=0.003) and ferritin levels (p=0.047) than their counterparts. When divided into normal weight (NW) (BMI < 25 kg/m2) and overweight/obese group (OW/OB) group (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2), significantly higher levels of sTfR and ferritin were observed in OW/OB group compared to NW counterparts (p = 0.008 and p = 0.002, respectively). Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis showed that only sTfR levels remained positively associated with higher HOMA-IR after an adjustment for WC (as a marker highly related to HOMA-IR) [OR (95% CI)=1.259 (1.006–1.577); p=0.044].
Conclusion: The association between sTfR and HOMA-IR is independent of obesity (as determined by WC).
