INTRODUCTION: Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23) is a circulating regulator of phosphate and vitamin D metabolism and has been implicated as a putative pathogenic factor in cardiovascular disease. The objectives of this study were: to compare serum FGF23 levels between systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and healthy controls and to investigate possible associations between FGF23 and serum lipid profile in SSc patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed in San Cecilio Hospital, Granada (Spain) from November 2017 to May 2019. We enrolled 62 consecutive female patients affected by SSc and 62 healthy women who served as controls. Cardiovascular risk factors and related biochemical parameters were collected. Serum FGF23 was analyzed using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Linear regression was used to examine the cross-sectional associations of serum FGF23 concentrations with high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-c). RESULTS: There was no significant differences in FGF23 levels between the patients and controls (78.2 ± 60.5 vs. 80.3 ± 56.3 pg/mL, p= 0.662), but we found a statistically significant inverse relationship between FGF23 and HDL-c measurements (r= -0.27; p= 0.03) in women with SSc. In addition, in the linear regression model, higher FGF23 concentrations were associated with lower HDL-c [β = -1.45 95% CI (-2.81, -0.08); p < 0.05]. CONCLUSIONS: We report an association between circulating FGF23 and HDL-c in SSc female patients, representing a novel pathway linking high FGF23 to an increased cardiovascular risk.
Lipoproteins, HDL ; fibroblast growth factor 23 ; Scleroderma, Systemic ; Fibroblast Growth Factors