7386 GlycA as a Novel Biomarker of Systemic Inflammation: Determinants and Implications in South Asians

Abstract Disclosure: A. Deven: None. A. Ramanathan: None. K. Bukhari: None. A. Rabel: None. R. Muniyappa: None. Background: South Asians are at an increased risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease compared with their European counterparts. Increased systemic inflammation is a key contributor to cardiometabolic dysfunction. GlycA, a novel inflammatory biomarker, predicts incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in population-based studies of South Asians. However, the determinants of GlycA in this population are unknown. Objective: To investigate the relationships between GlycA, body composition, glycemia, lipoproteins, insulin sensitivity, and beta cell function in healthy individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 59 adults without T2DM (body mass index: 26.5 ± 5.2 kg/m2, age 36.5 ± 8.3 years, 44 % female) who underwent a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test and a mixed meal in the fasted state. Body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Insulin sensitivity and beta cell function parameters were calculated by minimal model analysis. Nuclear magnetic resonance was used to measure GlycA and lipoprotein profiles. Results: GlycA was found to be positively associated with BMI, total fat mass, relative fat mass, total cholesterol, free fatty acids, LDL cholesterol, small LDL-particle number, triglycerides, triglyceride-rich lipoproteins particles (TRLP), fasting insulin, and insulin secretion. GlycA was also negatively associated with measures of insulin sensitivity, HDL, and large-HDL-particle number. The forward stepwise regression model, explaining 54% of the variance in GlycA levels (R2=0.54, P <.0001), identified relative fat mass, insulin sensitivity derived from mixed meal, and large HDL particle number as independent predictors. Conclusions: GlycA exhibited an independent association with relative fat mass, insulin resistance, and reduced levels of HDL particles (HDL-P) in South Asians, suggesting its potential as a predictive biomarker in this demographic. Future research should focus on exploring the underlying mechanisms driving these associations. Presentation: 6/3/2024