The association of plasma asprosin with anthropometric and metabolic parameters in Korean children and adolescents

This study aimed to determine the correlation of plasma asprosin with anthropometric and metabolic parameters in Korean children and adolescents.

This study demonstrated an association between plasma asprosin levels and obesity and insulin resistance in Korean children and adolescents.

This single-center study included 109 Korean children and adolescents: 62 (56.9%) obese participants with a body mass index (BMI) ≥95th percentile and 47 (43.1%) healthy controls with BMI between the 15th and 85th percentile. Metabolic parameters were measured, including fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), triglyceride and glucose (TyG) index, and lipid profiles.

Plasma asprosin levels were higher in the obese group than in the control group (mean 87.0 vs. 69.3 ng/mL; p = 0.001) and in the IR group than in the non-IR group (mean 98.6 vs. 70.2 ng/mL; p < 0.001). Plasma asprosin levels were not associated with sex or pubertal stage. Plasma asprosin levels were positively correlated with BMI SDS (r = 0.34; p = 0.002), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (r = 0.25; p = 0.02), glucose (r = 0.33; p = 0.002), insulin (r = 0.44; p < 0.001), HOMA-IR (r = 0.47; p < 0.001), triglyceride (TG) (r = 0.33; p = 0.003), high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (r = -0.29; p = 0.008), and TyG index (r = 0.38; p < 0.001). Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that plasma asprosin levels were independently associated with HOMA-IR (p < 0.001) and TG/HDL cholesterol ratio (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study demonstrated an association between plasma asprosin levels and obesity and insulin resistance in Korean children and adolescents.