To assess circulating fetuin-B concentrations in subjects with different degrees of glucose tolerance and to analyze the association of fetuin-B concentrations with insulin resistance and the first phase of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion.

Plasma fetuin-B concentrations were analyzed in 149 subjects with normal glucose tolerance (NGT, n=54), impaired glucose regulation (preDM, n=42) and newly diagnosed type-2 diabetes mellitus (nT2DM, n=53). Intravenous glucose tolerance tests (IVGTTs) and biochemical parameters were also assessed in all participants.

Plasma fetuin-B concentrations were significantly higher in nT2DM patients compared with NGT and preDM subjects (both P<0.001) and positively correlated with FPG, 2hPG, HOMA-IR, HbA_1c, hsCRP, FINS and TG (P<0.05), but negatively correlated with AIR, AUC, GDI and fasting Belfiore index (P<0.01). After adjusting for age and gender, all correlations remained statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that plasma fetuin-B concentrations were significantly correlated with nT2DM after controlling for age, gender, BMI, WHR, blood pressure and lipid profiles.

Patients with nT2DM have significantly higher concentrations of plasma fetuin-B compared with NGT subjects and plasma fetuin-B is strongly associated with glucose and lipid metabolism, chronic inflammation and first-phase glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and insulin resistance.