Circulating asprosin levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim: Asprosin, a recently discovered adipokine, exhibits pathological elevation in individuals experiencing insulin resistance. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between circulating asprosin levels and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Two independent authors carried out a thorough and systematic literature search of electronic databases including PubMed/Medline, Europe PMC, and Google Scholar for relevant studies published up to June 30, 2023. Standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated using random effect model. Cochran's Q test and I-2 statistics were employed to assess the statistical heterogeneity. A leave-one-out sensitivity analysis was carried out to evaluate the stability of result and funnel plot was constructed to assess publication bias. Results: Twenty-one articles including 1601 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients and 1162 healthy controls were selected for this systematic review and meta-analysis. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients had significantly higher circulating asprosin levels compared to controls [SMD = 1.25, 95% CI: 0.89-1.61; p < 0.00001] with a considerable heterogeneity [I-2 = 94%]. The results from subgroup analyses, which considered diagnostic criteria, study design, continents, sample size and type of blood sample, were consistent with the main finding. Conclusion: Circulating asprosin levels were significantly increased in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients compared to controls. Hence, there is potential for utilizing asprosin as a target for therapeutic intervention in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.