Elevated asprosin in hypertension: evidence from an exploratory case-control study

Hypertension (HTN) is a major risk factor of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Asprosin, a novel adipokine, has been linked to metabolic diseases; however, its role in HTN remains unclear. This study investigated the association between asprosin levels and HTN in 110 sex-matched participants. Sociodemographic, lifestyle, and family history data were collected, and anthropometric measurements and fasting blood samples were obtained to assess glucose, asprosin, and insulin levels. Insulin resistance and β-cell function were estimated using LogHOMA-IR and LogHOMA-β. Statistical analyses included t-tests, chi-square, Mann-Whitney U tests, receiver operating characteristic analysis with area under the curve (AUC), and ridge-penalized logistic regression. Cases reported higher stress levels and a greater maternal history of HTN compared with controls. Blood glucose, insulin, LogHOMA-IR and LogHOMA-β were all significantly elevated in cases. Median asprosin levels were higher in cases (98.7 ng/ml, IQR 57.7) than controls (65.4 ng/ml, IQR 55.4; p < 0.001) and demonstrated good discriminatory ability for HTN (AUC = 0.827; cut-off point > 79.15 ng/ml), with notable sex differences, as males showed higher discriminatory ability compared with females. Elevated asprosin was associated with higher odds of HTN (β = 1.31, SE = 0.319; OR = 3.71, 95% CI: 1.99–6.93), though the association attenuated after adjusting for antihypertensive medication and other confounders. These findings suggest that asprosin may serve as a potential biomarker for HTN, warranting further investigation into its clinical relevance.