Visfatin—a proinflammatory adipokine—in gallstone disease

Wang, Shen-Nien; Yeh, Yao-Tsung; Wang, Sen-Teh; Chuang, Shih-Chang; Wang, Chao-Ling; Yu, Ming-Lung; Lee, King-Teh

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2009.01.014

« Previous Next »The American Journal of Surgery
Volume 199, Issue 4 , Pages 459-465, April 2010

Visfatin—a proinflammatory adipokine—in gallstone disease

Shen-Nien Wang, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Surgery, Kaohsiung Municipal Hsiao-Kang Hospital, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Drs. Wang and Yeh contributed equally to this manuscript.
Yao-Tsung Yeh, Ph.D.
- Department of Medical Technology, Fooyin University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Drs. Wang and Yeh contributed equally to this manuscript.
Sen-Teh Wang, M.D.
- Department of Family Medicine, Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
Shih-Chang Chuang, M.D.
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Chao-Ling Wang, M.D.
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Koahsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Ming-Lung Yu, M.D.
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hepatobiliary Division, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
King-Teh Lee, M.D., Ph.D.
- Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Corresponding author. Tel.: +886-7-320-8171; fax: +886-7-321-6992

Received 26 August 2008; received in revised form 22 January 2009 published online 12 May 2009.

Abstract

Background

Visfatin is increasingly associated with several obesity-related diseases. The study is to evaluate if aberrant expression of circulating visfatin occurs in gallstone disease.

Methods

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to examine serum visfatin levels in 79 patients with cholesterol gallstones, 71 with pigment gallstones, and 223 healthy controls. The chemical composition of extracted gallstones was determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Results

Serum visfatin levels were markedly elevated in the cholesterol and pigment gallstones in comparison with healthy controls. Furthermore, increased visfatin levels were associated with formation of the cholesterol and pigment gallstones. Intriguingly, a significant positive correlation between serum visfation levels and white cell count was noted in the cholesterol gallstones and controls. Moreover, the positive correlation in the cholesterol gallstones was more significant in the body mass index ≥25 subgroup than in the body mass index <25 subgroup.

Conclusions

Gallstone disease is associated with altered circulating visfatin. The proinflammatory effect of circulating visfatin in gallstone disease deserves further investigation.

Keywords: Visfatin, Gallstone, Adipokine, Cholesterol, Pigment, Obesity