Serum osteocalcin level as an indicator of low-grade albuminuria in Chinese men free of kidney disease

Abstract

Objective: The presence of low-grade albuminuria (LGA) suggested that the pathophysiology of vascular dysfunction has been initiated. Clear evidence supports a role for osteocalcin in energy metabolism and a great incidence of pathological cardiovascular changes. The observational community-based study aims to examine the association of osteocalcin with LGA, which may provide new insight into potential involvement of osteocalcin in cardiovascular diseases.

Methods: A total of 1951 adults [58.37 (53.34–63.13) years, 41.3% men] from Shanghai were enrolled. LGA was defined as a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) < 30 mg/g. Serum osteocalcin was measured using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay.

Results: Serum osteocalcin level in men decreased with increasing UACR after adjusting for potential covariates (p = 0.045); however, the adjusted association disappeared in women (p = 0.258). Linear regression analysis showed that osteocalcin was a negative variable of UACR in men (standardized β = −0.074, p = 0.030), particularly prominent in non-hyperglycemic, non-hypertensive men, even regardless of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (60 ≤ eGFR <90 mL/min/1.73 m², standardized β =−0.422, p = 0.004; ≥ 90 mL/min/1.73 m², standardized β = −0.167, p = 0.037).

Conclusion: After controlling for confounders, serum osteocalcin level was independently associated with LGA in men, which suggested that osteocalcin was closely related with atherosclerosis and vascular dysfunction.

Keywords:

• Osteocalcin
• Low-grade albuminuria
• Urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio
• Atherosclerosis

Transparency

Declaration of funding

This work was supported by the Project of National Natural Science Foundation of China [31571212]; and the innovation foundation of translational medicine of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine and Shanghai SJTUSM Biobank [15ZH4006].

Declaration of financial/other relationships

The authors and CMRO peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.