Resistin is a prognostic factor for death in type 2 diabetes.

Purpose: To investigate the association of leptin, resistin, and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) with prognosis in type 2 diabetes (T2D).

Methods: Analysis included 284 T2D patients. Apart from routine laboratory parameters, baseline leptin, resistin, and TNF-α concentrations were measured. Patients were followed for a median of 5.4 years. The primary endpoint was all-cause death at follow-up. The secondary endpoint was a composite of death, acute coronary syndrome, and stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Results: At baseline, median age was 68 years, and 48% of patients were female. Data on the primary endpoint were obtained for all patients: 32 (11%) died during follow-up. Data on the secondary endpoint were available for 230 patients, of whom 45 (20%) reached the secondary endpoint. In univariate analyses, older age, heart failure, lower-glomerular filtration rate, and higher resistin, TNF-α and NT-proBNP concentrations were predictors of the study endpoints. Of these variables, only resistin remained an independent predictor of both study endpoints in multivariate models. In receiver-operating characteristic analysis, area under the curve for resistin was 0.7. Resistin concentration of greater than or equal to 11.4 ng/mL had sensitivity of 41% and specificity of 91% for prediction of death at follow-up (Youden's index).

Conclusions: Higher resistin is associated with reduced survival in T2D, irrespectively of TNF-α. Resistin concentration of above 11 ng/mL indicates T2D patients at an increased risk of unfavourable outcomes. Leptin was not a prognostic factor. These results suggest that in T2D, association of resistin with unfavourable outcomes might, at least in part, result from its pro-inflammatory properties.