The aim of this study was to investigate the possible role of resistin in obese women with and without insulin resistance. We compared serum concentrations of resistin with interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), soluble TNF receptors 1 and 2, and certain anthropometric and metabolic parameters in 26 obese women (body mass index [BMI], 35.8 +/- 4.12 kg/m2) and 15 healthy control women (BMI, 22.32 +/- 1.89 kg/m2). Fasting serum resistin and inflammatory cytokine levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Insulin resistance was measured by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-R) formula. Compared with lean controls, obese women showed higher HOMA-R values and levels of insulin and increased values of TNF-alpha, soluble TNF receptors, and IL-6. There was no significant difference in resistin levels between the investigated groups of obese women and lean subjects. The results showed that serum resistin concentrations did not correlate with BMI, HOMA, fasting plasma glucose level, or fasting plasma insulin level. Serum resistin correlated with fat mass and IL-6 in the group with impaired glucose tolerance (obese group) (r = 0.51, P < .05, and r = 0.37, P < .05, respectively) and with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (r = -0.39, P < .05) in the same group. The groups we examined are relatively small; it is likely that with a larger number of subjects, the correlation in other obese women groups may achieve statistical significance. It seems that resistin may be linked with inflammation and obesity and, indirectly, with insulin resistance.