Increased fasting plasma insulin concentrations are associated with the severity of angiographic coronary artery disease.

Fasting plasma insulin concentrations were obtained in 82 patients (51 men and 31 women), mean age 60 +/- 11 years, with a body mass index >25 kg/m(2) who had coronary angiography because of suspected symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). Obstructive CAD was diagnosed if there was >50% obstruction of > or =1 vessel. Of 82 patients, 37 (45%) had left main or 3-vessel CAD, 22 (27%) had 2-vessel CAD, 9 (11%) had 1-vessel CAD, and 14 (17%) had no obstructive CAD. Among the 4 groups, there was no significant difference in gender, age, dyslipidemia, and smoking. Hypertension (p = 0.0003), diabetes mellitus (p = 0.035), and increased fasting plasma insulin concentration (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with the severity of CAD. Stepwise ordinal logistic regression analysis identified increased fasting plasma insulin concentrations in these obese subjects as a significant independent risk factor for the severity of angiographic CAD (p < 0.0001).