Serum adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein is associated independently with vascular inflammation: Analysis with ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography

Context: The inflammatory status of atherosclerotic lesions is a major factor triggering acute cardiovascular events. Growing evidence has shown that adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) has an important role in the development of atherosclerosis. Objective: The objective of the study was to determine the association between circulating A-FABP levels with vascular inflammation as measured using [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET), which is a novel imaging technique for noninvasive measurement of atherosclerotic inflammation. Design: This was a cross-sectional study. Participants: Eighty-seven men without previously diagnosed cardiovascular disease or diabetes participated in the study. Main Outcome Measure: We measured the serum A-FABP, adiponectin, and leptin levels as well as other cardiovascular risk factors. Vascular inflammation in the carotid arterial wall, as indicated by the target to background ratio (TBR), was analyzed using FDG-PET. Results: The circulating A-FABP and leptin levels had positive correlations with maximum TBR values (r=0.38, P<0.001; and r=0.28, P=0.010, respectively), whereas the adiponectin levels had a negative correlation (r = -0.31, P = 0.004). The maximum TBR levels exhibited an additive linear increment according to the rise in tertiles of the A-FABP levels in subjects with and without metabolic syndrome. Multiple regression analysis showed that serum A-FABP levels were independently associated with maximum TBR after adjustment for other cardiovascular risk factors (P = 0.006). Conclusions: Circulating A-FABP, adiponectin, and leptin levels were shown to be associated with vascular inflammation, as measured using FDG-PET. Specifically, the A-FABP level was an independent risk factor for vascular inflammation in Korean men without cardiovascular disease or diabetes.