Blood Peptide Levels Indicate Risk in Nondiabetic Adults

High blood levels of the serum C-peptide appear to be linked to heart disease and death in people without diabetes.

A large study attempted to determine the link between C-peptide levels and death from all causes as well as from heart disease. Scientists studied mortality data of 5902 adults aged 40 years or older, representative of the US population. People with high serum C-peptide levels had an increased risk of death from all causes as well as cardiovascular disease-specific death compared with people with low C-peptide levels. The risk increased as C-peptide levels increased.

Data were taken from the Health Examination Survey (NHANES III) and the NHANES III the Linked Mortality File. People with high serum C-peptide levels (higher than 1.018 nmol/L) had a 1.8- to 3.2-fold increased risk of death from all causes as well as cardiovascular disease-specific death compared with people with low C-peptide levels (lower than 0.440 nmol/L). The risk increased as C-peptide levels increased. The study was published in the April 15, 2013, edition of the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

"We found a significant association between serum C-peptide levels and risk of all-cause, cardiovascular-related disease, and coronary artery-related mortality among adults without diabetes," wrote coauthor Dr. Kyoung-bok Min, Department of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Ajou University School of Medicine (Suwon, Republic of Korea).

C-peptide levels were better at predicting mortality than other measures such as glycated hemoglobin and fasting blood glucose. Although the reason for the increased risk of death has not been determined, the authors suggest it may be because of the relationship between C-peptide levels and risk factors for atherogenic vascular issues.

The authors wrote, "C-peptide levels predict CVD and DM related death in nondiabetic adults beyond traditional CVD/DM risk factors and may be a useful biomarker to identify otherwise unrecognized high risk subjects with significant IR for early intervention."

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ).

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Ajou University School of Medicine