Serum adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein discriminates patients with permanent and temporary body weight loss.

Adipocyte-fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) is a biomarker of adiposity and metabolic syndrome. The aim of our work was to investigate the effect of weight reduction on serum A-FABP value. In the study, we analyzed a group of 189 probands suffering from obesity (102 women and 87 men; aged 57.3+/-12 years) initially, after a 3-month low-fat diet and once again 3 months after the termination of the diet for serum A-FABP, insulin, glucose, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and triglycerides. Basal biomarker concentrations were typical of the metabolic syndrome, and moreover A-FABP correlated with Quicki and BMI. We observed a reduction in BMI in 145 subjects who were divided into two subgroups: A-with persistent BMI reduction even after 6 months, B-with BMI reduction after 3 months and its regress after 6 months. Individuals with rise or no BMI difference were signed as subgroup C. In subgroup A, A-FABP level increased and returned to the earlier level (42.3 vs 68.3 vs 37.1 microg/l) and correlated with the markers of the metabolic syndrome. In subgroup B, A-FABP level increased less significantly, however elevated A-FABP level persisted for 6 months (41.9 vs 53.6 vs 50.7 microg/l). Subgroup C (n=54) showed no difference in A-FABP after 3-month diet and after next 3 months. The A-FABP value correlated with the some components of the metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, we describe that serum A-FABP might be a prognostic marker of body weight loss suggesting a preventive therapeutic intervention. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.