Circulating irisin levels are not correlated with BMI, age, and other biological parameters in obese and diabetic patients

Excerpt

Increasing evidence demonstrates that skeletal muscle produces and releases substances such as cytokines capable of modulating different metabolic processes [1]. Accordingly, these cytokines are classified as “myokines” [2]. A novel peptidic myokine named ‘irisin’ has been recently identified [3]. Irisin may prove beneficial not only in monitoring and/or the treatment of obesity and diabetes, but also for a wide range of pathological conditions that are characterized by a variable imbalance of energy demand and expenditure [4, 5]. Consequently, great expectations have been rapidly made based on these findings. In this regard, a new concept, “irisinemia,” has been recently suggested to monitor metabolic disorders such as type 2 diabetes (T2D) or obesity, and therefore metabolic syndrome (MetS) [2]. However, several studies assessed circulating irisin concentrations in obese and/or T2D patients, throwing controversial results and conclusions [6]. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the circulating irisin levels in obese and T2D patients as well as to determine whether irisin levels correlate with other commonly used biochemical parameters in clinical medicine. …