Irisin and Subclinical Atherosclerosis in Individuals with Overweight/Obesity with and Without Newly Diagnosed Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Objective: Irisin, a myokine involved in metabolism and glucose regulation, has been associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and cardiovascular disease, with inconsistent findings. This study assessed irisin levels in individuals with overweight/obesity with and without newly diagnosed diabetes and examined its association with subclinical atherosclerosis. Methods: Ninety participants were divided into 3 groups: 30 individuals with newly diagnosed T2DM and overweight/obesity (Group 1), 30 individuals with overweight/obesity without diabetes (Group 2), and 30 controls (Group 3). Anthropometrics, glycemic markers, lipid profile, serum irisin, highsensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and carotid intimal-media thickness (CIMT) were measured. Spearman’s correlation and logistic regression were applied. Results: Serum irisin levels were higher in groups with overweight/obesity than in controls (P = .002) but did not differ by diabetic status. In subgroup analyses, irisin correlated positively with glycated hemoglobin (r = 0.56, P = .001), low-density lipoproteins (LDL-C) (r = 0.50, P = .005), hs CRP (r = 0.38, P = .038), and CIMT (r = 0.63, P < .001) in Group 1 and with LDL-C (r = 0.37, P = .042) and CIMT (r = 0.40, P = .030) in Group 2. In multivariate regression, irisin remained independently associated with increased CIMT in individuals with T2DM and overweight/obesity (adjusted odds ratios (aOR) = 2.03 (95% CI = 1.04-3.94)) and in the overall cohort with overweight/obesity (aOR = 1.98 (95% CI = 1.15-3.42)). Conclusions: Serum irisin is elevated in obesity, irrespective of diabetic status, and is independently associated with subclinical atherosclerosis, suggesting its potential role as an early biomarker of cardiovascular risk. Cite this article as: Assaad SN, Abo Elwafa RA, Gamal Eldin OA, Hassanein NA, Bondok ME. Irisin and subclinical atherosclerosis in individuals with overweight/obesity with and without newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Endocrinol Res Pract. Published online February 6, 2026. doi: 10.5152/erp.2026.25739.