AimTo investigate the change of plasma growth arrest-specific gene 6 (Gas6) level and the relationship of plasma Gas6 level to high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), visfatin, the pulse wave velocity (PWV), and the ankle brachial index (ABI) in the patients with different glucose metabolic status.MethodsPlasma Gas6 and visfatin level were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in type 2 diabetic patients with lower extremity artery diseases (T2DM-LEAD), type 2 diabetic patients (T2DM), patients with impaired glucose regulation (IGR) and normal glucose tolerance (NGT).PWV and ABI were tested by the non-invasive vascular screening device.ResultsPlasma Gas6 level in T2DM-LEAD group was lower than that in T2DM group (p<0.05), and it was significantly reduced in T2DM group compared with NGT group (p<0.01).Pearson’s correlation analysis demonstrated that plasma Gas6 level was negatively correlated with age, duration of diabetes, fasting plasma glucose, 2 h plasma glucose after glucose loading, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), waist to hip ratio, visfatin, hs-CRP and PWV (p<0.01 or p<0.05), and positively correlated with ABI (p<0.01).Multiple stepwise regression analysis showed waist to hip ratio, HbA1c and hs-CRP were independently related with plasma Gas6 level.ConclusionsThe plasma Gas6 level is lower in patients with IG-R, and is significantly reduced in patients with T2DM and T2DM-LEAD.The change of Gas6 level is associated with inflammation, peripheral vessels atherosclerosis and visceral fat, which may be a potential risk factor of diabetes mellitus.