Health implications of racial differences in serum growth differentiation factor levels among men with obesity

Growth differentiation factor (GDF15) has been considered a biomarker and recently a hormonal driver for diseases in different populations. However, the role of GDF15 as a biomarker of health outcomes in obese men from different racial/ethnic background has not been evaluated. The objective of this study was to investigate the racial/ethnic differences on the relationship between GDF15 and markers of glucometabolic status, hormonal profile, body composition and bone mineral density (BMD) in obese men. One hundred ninety-three obese men from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds were enrolled. BMD and body composition were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Serum GDF15, osteocalcin, C-terminal telopeptide, sclerostin, adiponectin, leptin, estradiol, testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, lipid profile, and hemoglobin A1C (A1C) were measured. Non-African Americans (NAA) had significantly higher GDF15 level than African Americans (AA). Level was also higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). In both the groups GDF15 correlated with A1C and lean mass. However. GDF15 correlated with body fat, LDL total cholesterol and femoral neck BMD only in NAA and with appendicular lean mass only in AA. Ethnicity, total cholesterol and T2DM were found to be independent predictors of GDF15. We conclude that GDF15 may influence glucometabolic status, body composition and bone parameters which may affect cardiovascular risk and osteoporosis between races.