Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30774722›Full record

ArticleDiabetology & metabolic syndrome2019

Reduced plasma albumin predicts type 2 diabetes and is associated with greater adipose tissue macrophage content and activation.

Douglas C Chang, Xiaoyuan Xu, Anthony W Ferrante, Jonathan Krakoff

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Diabetology & metabolic syndrome, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
5.4field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 73 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Anti-diabetic activity of aqueous extract ofJournal of traditional and complementary medicine · 2025
    Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Article
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Douglas C Chang1Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 4212N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85016 USA.
Xiaoyuan Xu2Department of Medicine, The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University, New York, NY USA.
Anthony W Ferrante2Department of Medicine, The Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University, New York, NY USA.
Jonathan Krakoff1Phoenix Epidemiology and Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 4212N. 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85016 USA.
Columbia University · USNational Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · USNational Institutes of Health · US

Funding

RESEARCH TRAININGP30DK026687 · NIDDK · ST. LUKE'S-ROOSEVELT INST FOR HLTH SCIS · PI Anthony W Ferrante, DYMPNA GALLAGHER · 1986 to 2026
$33.0M
Macrophage phenotype and function in adipose tissueR01DK066525 · NIDDK · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · PI Anthony W Ferrante · 2003 to 2026
$9.8M
Risk Factors and Etiology of Obesity and Type 2 DiabetesZIADK069015 · NIDDK · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES · PI KRAKOFF, JONATHAN · 2009 to 2025
$4.2M
Risk Factors and Etiology of Obesity and Type 2 DiabetesZ01DK069015 · NIDDK · NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF DIABETES AND DIGESTIVE AND KIDNEY DISEASES · PI KRAKOFF, JONATHAN M · 1986 to 2008
$436k
Intramural NIH HHS Z01 DK069015NIDDK NIH HHS P30 DK026687NIDDK NIH HHS R01 DK066525
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPlasma albumin is reduced during inflammation. Obesity, a strong risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D), is associated with adipose tissue inflammation. However, whether albumin is associated with adipose tissue inflammation and whether it predicts T2D are unclear.

methodsAdults (predominantly American Indian) from a longitudinal study were included. Macrophage content and gene expression related to recruitment/activation were measured from subcutaneous adipose tissue (n = 51). The relationship between plasma albumin and adiposity (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry or hydrodensitometry), glucose (oral glucose tolerance test), insulin action (hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp), and insulin secretion (intravenous glucose tolerance test) were evaluated (n = 422). Progression to T2D was evaluated by Cox regression (median follow-up 8.8 years; 102 progressors).

resultsAlbumin was associated with macrophage markers including C1QB (r = - 0.30, p = 0.04), CSF1R (r = - 0.30, p = 0.03), and CD11b (r = - 0.36, p = 0.01). Albumin was inversely associated with body fat percentage (r = - 0.14, p = 0.003), fasting plasma glucose (r = - 0.17, p = 0.0003), and 2 h plasma glucose (r = - 0.11, p = 0.03), and was reduced in impaired glucose regulation compared with normal glucose regulation (mean ± SD: 39.4 ± 3.6 g/l and 40.1 ± 3.9 g/l, respectively; p = 0.049). Albumin predicted T2D, even after adjustment for confounders (HR, 0.75; 95% CI 0.58-0.96; p = 0.02; per one SD difference in albumin).

conclusionsReduced albumin is associated with an unfavorable metabolic profile, characterized by increased adipose tissue inflammation, adiposity, and glucose, and with an increased risk for T2D.

Indexed as

Adipose tissueInflammationPlasma albuminType 2 diabetes

Identifiers

PMID30774722
PMCPMC6367730
OpenAlexW2921430101

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.